


Vexed, In These Gloomy Ways

by TCD



Series: My Comforter [4]
Category: Sons of Anarchy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety Attacks, Canon-Typical Violence, Cuddling, Daddy Kink, Dirty Talk, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Families of Choice, Feels, Flashbacks, Friends to Lovers, Hand Jobs, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Panic Attacks, Post-Coital Cuddling, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Trauma, Rimming, Showers, Tattoos, Tully Really Cares, Tully's Magical Healing Cock, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-19 19:11:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 72,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8221774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TCD/pseuds/TCD
Summary: Tully gets Juice back but after the attack by his former brother can Tully help Juice out of the dark place he's in, again? And does Tully see his own coming consequences?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Finally, the next part! As always, spoilers for Sons of Anarchy. Also canon-typical content. 
> 
> Continued apologies to Emily Bronte.

"Just get him alone. " Tully's jaw clenched, not like he had let it unclench during the last week. He'd been in a foul mood for that whole time except a few days when he'd gotten thoroughly fucked up on prison wine. Now he was out of the drink and Mickey realized Tully was at the end of his tether. With everyone, not just some pathetic con asking for protection like this one in front of them. Mickey was doing the talking, for now. "I'm sure you'll figure it out from there."

The man in front of them nodded." Th-thank you." He looked once more at the shot caller before backing away again. Tully still didn't speak, just stared back at him over the remains of his breakfast. That con was going to take care of a thorn in not just the Brotherhood's side, but the rest of the prison's. A snitch, wreaking havoc for all the businesses and Tully had found out his identity. Finally. So he got the pleasure of taking the kill.

Except he was getting Mickey to outsource it. Not that Tully didn't care about it, but he had other things on his mind. One other thing. Person. Tully missed his little boy. His Juice. The younger con had been beaten severely and he was still in the hospital. Tully had gotten no further information on his condition after the first day and every day beyond that made him angrier and angrier. Because he couldn't worry being a shot-caller, but he could be enraged. It was a wonder that he hadn't picked more fights. "Nuke is coming out tomorrow." Mickey informed him after the sniveling con was well away.

"Frisk him before we talk." Mickey nodded at the order. Tully had gotten stabbed recently already by someone just released from the hole and while he trusted Nuke, it wasn't nearly enough to let him approach without a pat-down. Nuke would deal. It was going to be protocol for a while until Tully's paranoia died down or he got Juice back. Whichever came first, and the latter didn't guarantee the former.

News passed along and business dealt with, Tully couldn't sit here now. He stood, not bothering to check and see who was coming with. The man had legendary patience. It came with being a boss in prison; sometimes you just had to wait for plans to come to fruition. But even his patience ran out and it wasn't fair to his men to have it taken out on them. Tully dumped his tray, intending on legging it to his cell before someone got clobbered. "Tully." A woman's voice calling to him from a nearby hallway just outside of the cafeteria. Pearson. Currently one of only two guards he trusted; the other was with Juice at the hospital. He gave her an acknowledging nod but kept moving. Pearson understood and quickly caught up to him. "He managed to escape losing any organs." Tully couldn't look too relieved, but his heart skipped a beat. "They were worried about kidney damage, though." Tully knew about that. He'd pissed blood after more than one fight in his youth. He could only imagine how bad it was for Juice who had taken repeated direct hits. "They should, _should,_ be releasing him back here in a few more days." The pair of them stopped, and Tully entered his cell. He turned around when the door slammed behind him. “I assume you still want him as your cellie? I have to put the paperwork in before he returns.”

Tully rose his eyebrow, not giving her a verbal response. Obvious answer, he knew she was smarter than that. “Alright.” Pearson looked about to turn away, and then she looked back at him. “You know he might not be the same. That kind of trauma can change someone.” Pearson folded her arms and brought her blue gaze to his hazel ones. “You'll have to be patient.” Now she smiled, a warm smile but Tully couldn't read the emotions behind it. She was difficult to predict especially now, and it bothered him some. “Not that you're not usually, with him.” That smile remained for another moment before her face morphed into its usual neutral mask. “I'll let you know when I know more.”

That had become her standard departure, and Pearson indeed walked away. Tully climbed up onto his bunk. It wasn't sleep he needed, but the peace and quiet. Up here was the closest he could get while alone. Tully _was_ patient with Juice. He knew he'd have to be even more so, when his boy came back. Tully crossed his fingers on his chest as he laid on his back. He would have to visit the library. Get a few books on the psychology of trauma, of healing it. Perhaps one or two specifically on familial abuse; the MC's man had been effectively a brother to Juice. What he had done was nothing but a brotherly betrayal worthy of Shakespeare. More generally the MC had been _using_ Juice for years and Juice still held those mental scars. After all; “Both,” he'd said. About the club and himself when he begged on his knees to spare the MC's man and Tully questioned who he was doing it for. Tully sighed. This would be so much easier to plan out if it was all he had to worry about.

However he had more things to be concerned with. Tully had the heroin business now, on top of the coke. The protection rackets, in different smaller prisons as well as here. And keeping the peace with the other prison gangs which meant keeping the street gangs under Tully's control. It wasn't overwhelming, it hadn't been in years but it was still a lot of work. “'Ey, 'mano.”

Speak of the devil. “Luis.” Tully looked over the edge of his bunk, down at his fellow shot-caller. Luis ran Stockton's chapter of the Mexican Mafia. Surprisingly, an ally of the Aryan Brotherhood. He had with him two of his muscle, but they remained respectfully back.

Luis didn't waste any time. Part of the reason he and Tully got along so well. Like Tully he straight-talked with people he thought were his equal, and played games with people he thought weren't. “Thought I ought to come by, give you a 'eads up. Got a guy in PC who wants protection here in gen, pretty sure it's the guy who hurt your boy.” He tilted his head, gesturing towards his abdomen. “Smiling ink?”

Damn. Tully nodded, and Luis continued. “Gonna give it to 'im.” A pause. “'Es got good connections outside, 'mano.”

Tully understood this; if the situation had been reversed he might have done the same thing. It wasn't personal, just business. That he was telling Tully it was happening meant plenty of respect towards him. “Fair. If nothing else the MC is good enough.” He chuckled. “Wonder if they'll try to play us against each other? Thank you for the warning.”

Luis hummed, his own laughter. Street level gangs often had no idea of the alliances and politics that went on at the prison level. The MC allying with Luis to try and force Tully into a different path was a very real possibility even if it would be futile. Something to keep in mind. “How _is_ your boy?”

“Alive. Whole, in body at least.” Tully was still looking at him. Might as well give Luis a heads up as well. “The MC is getting right with me with a favor. They're supposed to, anyway. If they don't...” Tully trailed off. He'd take his pound of flesh directly off of the other man. This time without being convinced otherwise.

“Aye.” Luis would give it his full effort to protect the MC's man, as he had to but if it came down to it Tully had a right to the kill and they both knew it. Not only did you just not touch a claimed punk, the attack had been an affront to Tully's authority. “I got you. Jus' give me some warning if the MC doesn't follow through?”

Tully nodded, resting back once more. Conversation was over; he vaguely heard Luis' “Vamanos.” to his men. Should have done more damage to Happy, if he was already out of the clinic and in protective custody. Too late now, at least until he heard from the MC about Kiefer's family. The guard had been smart enough to stay away from Tully since the attack; he knew that Tully knew it had been him to throw Juice to the other inmate. It was a pity. Kiefer had been reliable, but his greed was unmanageable. Tully hated having to cultivate a new relationship like that. Bribing guards was one of his more dangerous business ventures; cold hard cash was evidence but they preferred that over intangible favors.

A squeaking wheel brought him once again out of his thoughts. These were all daily, normal interruptions for the prison but today Tully just wasn't having it. They grated on him. “Tully?” Oh, this one might not. The shot-caller slid down off of his bunk to lean against the door. Cornelius, the old black librarian had stopped. “Anything you'd like to return?” He was always polite, but he was far more so when in this part of the cell blocks. Understandably jumpy when half of the men here would happily lynch even a senior citizen for being the wrong color in the wrong neighborhood.

Tully looked over at the computer book, then nodded at it. “Is anyone looking for that one?” He took a step, picking it up off the desk so that Cornelius could look at it better.

The other man consulted his list. “Nawsir.” Tully set it back where he'd found it. He would keep it for Juice, then. Not knowing how much his baby was going to want to be up and about, or would even be capable of it. “Got a couple others like it here though, if you'd like.” He unburied another book, and then another. “Your boy was eyeballin' 'em last time I saw him.” _His boy._ Luis had done it too. That they were so casual about calling Juice that should have annoyed Tully, but it only made him pleased. He didn't stop them. It would reinforce through the rest of the prison that Juice wasn't to be trifled with. Tully gave him a gesture, indicating that he wanted them too. Cornelius passed the books through, making a note that Tully had them. “Anythin' else, Tully?”

It was an off chance that he had them, but it couldn't hurt to ask. “How about psychology books? Textbooks. Not the...self-help shit.”

Cornelius rummaged through the neat stacks on his cart while Tully remained leaning on his cell door. “Mm. I know I got some in the main library.” He took out his notepad, looking up at the shot-caller. “What subjects were you lookin' for?”

Tully hummed, considering telling him to not worry about it. That he could look later himself. It was only a moment's thought, however. “Abuse. In families. Not just kids, adult survivors.” Tully watched as Cornelius wrote meticulously. The man was honestly good at his job, and Tully knew he enjoyed doing it even if running the cart sometimes made him a bit jumpy. And he was discrete. He wouldn't spread information or rumors around about what you were looking for, or judge you based on it. Just made his notes and came back with the books within a few days or so.

“I have some ideas.” At the same time he spoke he rummaged into the cart again. “I know you said no self-help but...” Cornelius held out a blue book, titled _Toxic Parents: Overcoming Their Hurtful Legacy and Reclaiming Your Life._ Tully took it, and flipped through the front and the back cover. “Lotta guys who have read it say it's good. Our headshrinkers recommend it too.”

Tully didn't care much of what the prison administration thought, but if other cons found it useful.... He set it down on the stack of Juice's new books, and Cornelius made note of it. “I'll get those books to you in a couple of days.”

“Anyway I can rush that, Cornelius?” Tully wanted to get some insight before Juice got back. He walked to his bunk, and took out a couple of 20 dollar bills. It didn't seem like a lot but he knew Cornelius could make that stretch, stocking up an entire new section of books or buy some new electronic gadget to bring the library up to date. It was kind of fascinating how good he was with the wheeling and dealing, and had he been white Tully would have snapped him up in a second. Tully held out the cash.

It disappeared in a mere moment. “What a kind donation.” Cornelius grinned, clearly he had plans for the money already. “I'll be back later today. After lunch, before dinner.” Tully nodded stepping back. He listened as the older man kept walking, the squeaky cart wheel occasionally stopping as he picked up old books and traded in for new ones at the cells that stopped him. Cornelius looked content with his lot in life but Tully couldn't imagine himself doing that at that age. Have his little fiefdom in Stockton, but not ruling a gang or similar. Tully would probably die violently from some younger buck going after him for the power.

That was a simple fact of his life; he'd long accepted that. Tully climbed back up into his bunk, still holding the self-help book. Just like he'd long accepted that he was unlikely to ever leave the confines of Stockton. He set the book on his chest, not yet opening it to read it. Tully had a good thing going. He was always doing projects here, and Juice was one of them. And not, at the same time. His baby boy was his own person. Mickey had told him over the last few days how he'd come out of his shell even without Tully. Jumpy, but not nearly as much as he had been at the beginning. It was good progress.

 _You were supposed to protect him._ The Scot's words came back. Tully hadn't been able to get them out of his mind. Not that he really deserved to; he _hadn't_ protected his baby boy like he'd promised. Tully picked the book back up again, and started to read. He could at least erase some of the damage.

The morning passed, and then lunch. Tully munched on his hidden protein bars; Juice must not have gone snooping up here. Except to grab his pillow; his boy had de-fluffed it. Tully didn't mind; whatever Juice had to do to get through the days. The book was rather informative, for being pop psychology. The main theme was that it wasn't your fault what your family, your parents, did to you but your reactions to them was something that you could control. Once, of course, you identified what those reactions were.

Tully laid the book down again. How much of Juice's damage was learned behavior, and how much of it was just who he was, was hard to tell in the prison environment. The man would simply have to see. He climbed down, slipping a bookmark in. Cornelius had gotten approval to include one with every book he gave out to keep the wear and tear down. Tully set that book along with the others on the desk. It was getting crowded, he was going to have to figure out some way to source another horizontal space. For now, setting Juice's work on his bed would have to do. Tully had his own work to complete. Writing, hilariously, lonely-hearts letters to women who found inmates attractive. They sent money, Tully wrote them the filthiest smut or sweetest romantic drivel he could imagine, and then they sent more money. He never did it for men, though other inmates did. It might have been taking advantage of people, but if you were so stupid to believe that some Neonazi stuck in prison was going to sweep you off your feet, you deserved to be fleeced.

Cornelius came and went again, handing over two more books to Tully. They were more like what he'd been thinking about; textbooks. All three would be helpful though no doubt Tully would rely as much or more on his own instincts and experience. Books didn't always take into account the special circumstances of being an outlaw. An _imprisoned_ outlaw, furthermore. Tully flipped to a new page on his legal pad and then opened the first textbook.

This new work took him until dinner, and already Tully had a better idea on how to handle his Juice and his problems. Or at least a best-case, and a worst-case scenario. He would still have to see. Tully straightened from his hunched-over position; in this case being tall was a curse. As he cracked his spine he saw someone standing by his door out of the corner of his eye. Tully didn't jump, just slowly turned to look at whoever it was.-

Mickey. He was clearly waiting to see if Tully was going to join them for dinner. Did Tully want to? Not particularly, but should he? It would look weak if he didn't and besides, his stomach reminded him that he hadn't had proper lunch, either. Tully stood, waiting for the door to open and stepping through it when it did. As usual, they started to walk in a loose circle around him, Mickey to his right. His left wasn't uncovered, Thierry was beside him but at the same time it felt like it was without his boy lightly bumping his shoulder every once in a while. They were quiet until they made it to the cafeteria, through the line, and back to their table. Juice not sitting in front of him still seemed wrong, and Tully had to push the feeling of it away. Honestly pushing all feelings away when he was out in public seemed like the best course of action. “Luis is taking the MC's man when he gets out of PC.” Better to warn them all now than have them find out later. There was a groan from the table that Tully expected. “Until we hear from the MC.” Tully looked over at Mickey.

“Not yet, boss.” Mickey spoke into his food. It was the same thing he'd said every fuckin' day Tully had asked about it. The shot-caller had hoped the deed would be done by now; he'd had to trust that the MC was going to do as he'd tasked them but with time passing it was less and less likely that it would happen. “I'll reach out.”

“You do that.” Tully picked out the pickles of his burger. How hard was it that they put this shit on the side? “Our restaurants?”

“The Chinese ones? Having trouble convincing some our general managers to implement delivery but they'll come around. It's doubled the business for the ones that are doing it.” Mickey had dug into his burger. “Good ol' American food, thank fuck. Can you believe they had Spic shit for lunch?”

 _Don't hit him._ Tully had to remind himself that Mickey was just acting like Mickey. Juice's very presence probably irritated him and now that the boy was gone he could let loose a torrent of slurs. “I can hardly imagine, Mickey.” Tully rolled his eyes. Back to business, that would keep them both from going at each other's throats. “Good at least for our cut, mm?” Tully stuffed a fry in his face, not imagining doing the same for Juice. He wanted to hand-feed the boy once; he seemed so very oral. “After paying everyone else?”

“Yeah.” Tully didn't catch the significant looks his men traded, otherwise he wouldn't have choked on the fry in surprise at Mickey's next question. “What's...Juice's....number?” As Tully coughed and stared hard at him, Mickey continued. “Pit's idea, he deserves some too.” A shrug, casual but complex at the same time before he mumbled back into his food. “It ain't gonna be much, he's still a wetback housewife.”

“I'll...get it for you.” Tully was honestly taken back, and if it wasn't so public he might be sickeningly sentimental about the gesture. Probably the most generous thing these men could do short of accepting Juice into the AB which was as likely as snowballs in hell. It would do a lot to boost his baby boy's trust in them. “Thank you, brother.” Any more than that out here was going to provoke a negative response in Mickey, so Tully left it there. Mostly. “Pit?” He hadn't gotten an explanation for Juice's new nickname.

“You didn't see it, boss!” A boisterous voice made Tully actually jump, mostly because it was loud. Nuke was standing nearby the table, grinning like loon. A maniac, really. “Heyyy boyss they let me out early.” Immediately two of the men got up to frisk the man.

“Probably because you tried to make them deaf.” Tully drawled at him after they deemed him clean and he sat down in his usual spot. “What did I miss, _because I'd been stabbed and was bleeding?”_ Idiot. Despite his thought, Tully was glad to have his muscle back. Really it hadn't been too bad of a fight, but the shock had kicked in quick.

“I tol' you I wasn't going to stab you too.” Nuke immediately stole a fry from Thierry's plate. Had he had his own, he would have given up his ketchup for Thierry to put on his burger; they'd make up for it later. It was a very curious arrangement but right now Tully just wanted to know information. “So I'm spotting Froggy right, an' you know I'm keeping an eye on the yard. I see this flash, and all I see is Pitbull, Juice, fuckin' running and jumpin' on Danny, swingin' and the scary shit is he's not making any noise when he does it, right? Just beatin' the shit outta him. Least until I grab him.” Nuke lowered his voice. “Then he started hollarin' for you while we make it inside.”

Tully remained quiet, and Mickey spoke up. “He's game.” Then it clicked. Juice had gone on the offensive for Tully, been the outlaw that the MC had recruited and it impressed his men as much as it had to have for the MC in the past. Tully didn't particularly _like_ that Juice had risked himself, but it made sense. He doubted that Juice was thinking about the rest of the Brotherhood's view of him but it worked out nicely that he had affected them so.

“I see.” Tully slid the rest of his tray over to Nuke, who started downing it. Tully wished he could have spoiled Juice right then. Seen the look on his face with the praise from the other men; it would probably be that shy smile, a dropped gaze with the hint of a blush. “Pitbull.” Tully tried it out. He liked his own nickname but he really couldn't call Juice by it in front of them. It would do, though, for outside. “Someone catch him up.” Tully gestured towards Nuke but they were already doing it, and moving forward now that he was back. Not quite making plans but certainly continuing their lives in the prison. Their holding pattern, until Tully or one of the other shot-callers of the AB gave them direction. Mickey suddenly got up, and stepped out into a hallway after glancing around. He had a phone call; Tully hoped it was the MC.

“What, really Tully?” Nuke startled him again with his volume. “The beaners?” Obviously they'd told him about Luis taking the man under their protection. He'd just missed the announcement, after all.

Tully raised his hand and his eyebrow. Nuke's outburst attracted brief attention from the table of brown. His impulse control sucked, Tully would have to encourage him to be a little more subtle, if he could. All he gave was silence until Nuke hunched over with a mumbled apology. “We'll play nice until we find out if the MC can do one simple little job.” He smirked, letting his heart thud at the prospect of getting real, proper revenge. “And if they can't, I'll let you finish what you started for me, hm?” Nuke gave a deep sigh, and if Nuke wasn't six feet and three hundred pounds Tully might have called the face he pulled a pout. “Good. Do you have any ideas for those paintings I wanted you to do?” Again, a redirect to something that was a little less likely to get them all into trouble. Code, too. To see if Nuke had half a brain.

It took him a minute, but he did. “Oh, yeah boss. _Great_ ideas.” And then Nuke was off describing what he was going to do to fix Juice's ink problem. Coached, of course, in terms of oil painting he was going to do in art class. Tully let him talk, and was surprised to find out Nuke knew what Juice's other tattoos looked like. It wasn't like he'd been able to really look at his boy's chest. That was going to change as soon as possible.

Mickey returned after a while, and almost immediately gave Tully a small head-shake. No news about the MC. “Another GM decided on delivery.” Mickey explained. He didn't have to further, nor did they have time. Dinner was over, everyone was to head back to their cells. More chatter around him pushed Tully back into his head. He missed his boy, but Juice was doing well enough that he was returning.

And then the long period of rehabilitation. Tully sat back at his desk once he was in his cell. He glanced at the books once more, but he'd done enough work. Tully was still making the decision what to do with the rest of his evening when a tapping at his door made him turn. Pearson, again, and this time her expression was easy to read. She was pissed. “Tully.”

He rose an eyebrow, looking fully at her. The shot-caller folded his arms, neutralizing his expression against her accusing one. “Damndest thing, Tully. Kiefer just resigned. Effective immediately. Said his wife took another position in Kansas. And you know what's really weird, Tully? There was a police report of a cross burning--”

Tully interrupted her. “Lighting.”

“ _Burning,_ in his neighborhood. Wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?” Pearson was apparently sensitive about those sorts of things. But he had to respond in a certain way, that would likely anger her more. He had a reputation to keep.

Tully put on his drawl as he uncrossed his arms and tapped his chin. “Poor man, livin' in a neighborhood with niggers.” The snickering around them told Tully Pearson had drawn attention to herself. “Or spics. Or gooks.” White power groups, or motorcycle gangs masquerading as white power groups, who lit crosses for intimidation purposes weren't really that picky about who they were intimidating. “Really, whoever did it did them a favor lettin' him know, his wife might have been in danger.” He paused, staring at her hard like he would with any convict. His gratitude for her help with Juice could be revoked at any point. “I know he's a real lucky man for gettin' out of a ghetto like that.” Tully sighed a little dramatically. “But if I do hear anything worth sharing, I'll let you know.” That was an outright lie, and they both knew it before he turned back around. Tully had decided to make sure his eyebrows were smooth before bed.

Pearson actually snorted and stormed away, to the jeers of the other cons. There was something personal in her anger there, Tully considered as he picked up his tweezers and leaned over his sink to look into the highly polished metal that functioned as a mirror. Probably hadn't been fucking Kiefer, but something else. Maybe just the friendship that comes with being stuck in this place. “So...ain' no ass-kicking?” Nuke called out to Tully's back when the guard was gone.

“Seems like.” Tully responded still tweezing. The groans of the other men made him smirk; they really needed that outlet because only one of them had gotten any sort of revenge for the attacks that kept hitting them. He finished with the few stray hairs he still had left, standing up and looking back at them. “Keep an ear out for the MC.” They all knew who he was talking to: Mickey. Tully expected some kind of contact, confirmation that they'd taken care of business. For the first time in nearly two weeks Tully felt light and actually happy. He'd gotten revenge, information, his man was back and still most importantly of all Juice was returning soon.

Tully climbed into the bed after changing out of his normal uniform. He'd need to send his laundry out in a day or two. Juice's too, especially his bedsheets. “Mm.” Actually, Tully crawled back out and tossed his and his boy's clothes together in his laundry bag before stripping the linen off of Juice's bed. He set it all down, hanging through the bars. They'd grab it early in the morning, and return it folded late the next day. Tully would have to remember to up his payment to the cons down there this week, for the inconvenience of doing Juice's laundry.

The man couldn't keep his snicker down. Poor guys, Tully wasn't sure if the payment was going to cover how cum-covered Juice's sheets were. He'll add more cash in the morning. Their new business was going to more than make up for it. Tully laced his fingers behind his head, letting his mind wander. Clean sheets for his baby boy, books to keep him entertained...an income for him to use. Tully wouldn't push the issue but one of Juice's amazing blowjobs sounded amazing for all the things that he was doing for Juice. His baby loved to give them, so Tully didn't have a problem with the idea of coaxing one out of him.

His cock took interest almost immediately. Two weeks had passed since he'd gotten laid. Tully rolled over to face the wall; he didn't want to give anyone a show. It was rude, after all. And not for them. He would satisfy himself to thoughts of his baby boy. His Juice giving him head, ass up under the covers while taking Tully into his mouth nice and slow. Gagging on him. Drawing his Papi up to the edge before stopping, just long enough to drive Tully wild.

Tully stroked himself properly now that he was all the way hard, letting his vivid imagination take over. Juice no longer under sheets but kneeling between his legs, sucking and licking while Tully thrust gently. Hands wrapped around Juice's throat, squeezing while he came so that Juice wouldn't have a choice but to gag more and choke around the flood. Watching his boy swallow and lick his lips before turning around and presenting that beautiful ass for Tully. He had to bite his lip, to keep from moaning out because even in his personal fantasies it gave him such pleasure to slide his hands on his ass, slip two fingers deep inside of his boy to get him ready. And of course Juice was begging for it, in ways he couldn't do here. “F-fuck me, Papi” he mewled, glancing back and up at Tully with those big brown eyes. “Please.”

Tully had to pause for a moment, because even the thought of that needy voice drove him too close. The lack of action probably didn't help. Either way, Tully panted and briefly came back to himself. The lights were out, making it less potentially awkward. As long as he kept quiet, which at this point in his incarceration was more the norm than making noise.

He slipped back into his fantasy. His fingers pressed in and out of Juice's heat, stretching him, and making him moan for more. Papi would spoil his boy, of course. It made him feel as good as it did Juice and in his mind Tully pressed a third finger in. Deep, deep enough that Juice gasped and arched up with the pressure on his prostate. Tully imagined more begging, both in voice and in body language and he lightly rubbed his own sensitive spots. “M-more, please.” Those sounds, the need and in his mind Tully lined himself up with his baby's ready hole.

The man stroked himself a little faster, thrusting in and out of Juice as he pleaded for more, more, more. Tully pulled Juice up so they could be close once more. He missed that. Missed Juice's constant presence at his side while walking, or across from him at lunch. Or late at night pressed against his chest, either sleeping or more frequently writhing and working to keep his moans down. Tully missed that the most.

He squeezed and flicked his fingers over his tip, and was once again holding Juice in his arms.His free arm came up, in his mind, wrapping tightly around Juice's throat. Not cutting off his air all the way, but just enough to make him wheeze. And harden further. Leak into Tully's fingers as he fucked his boy deep and rough. Just the way he liked it; hitting his prostate with each of his movements. Tully squeezed himself again. Even as much as they fucked, Juice was still tight around him.

Tully slightly panted, bringing himself closer to the edge with each memory-fantasy of pounding Juice deeply into the mattress. Briefly he let go, to admire the creature beneath him. Juice was beautiful at any point, but in the throes of passion it was like he was some kind of angel. The curve of his boy's back, muscles straining against Tully not to get away from him but to pull him closer. More inside of him. They were both so close, but Juice would hold off until Tully allowed him. That power. That trust. It made Tully's head swirl and Juice wasn't even here. Once more Tully pulled his baby boy close, nipping him roughly at the juncture of shoulder and neck. The act of marking, the very thought of it, made the older con have to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from moaning aloud. He was so close, the need in his groin was almost painful. Juice's heart was pounding wildly in his chest, so hard that Tully could practically feel it in his own.He would know what Juice wanted. What he needed. Tully shifted once more as he thrust, freeing a hand to grip his baby boy's throat. “Papi's gonna cum in you.” The man growled in his mind, panting as he stroked himself with rapid, short touches. “Then you can cum, baby boy.”

Juice would have whimpered, if he were here and Tully wasn't cutting off his air. His boy just writhed, squirming and leaking into Tully's fingers like he was into his own. The older con couldn't stop himself. Just didn't want to, at this point. He tipped over the edge, the pressure in his belly finally easing as he climaxed. In his mind, deeply into Juice who was trembling himself with his own release. With each pulse Tully involuntarily twitched, rocking into his baby boy until the fantasy finally faded and Tully was left alone in his own cell. He rolled to his back, cleaning himself off some with his own blankets.

Jerking off wasn't emotionally satisfying like being with his boy, but it had the desired physical effects and Tully stretched back out in his bed. He was a little more relaxed at least, even if what he really wanted was his boy snuggled up beside him. Tully's heart started the ache again that he had been trying to ignore for the entirety of Juice's hospitalization. He squashed it with a deep breath and once more let his overactive imagination take hold. His boy was cuddled on his chest with his arms wrapped around him. Tully let his eyes drift closed to the mental image. Knowing that if it were actually happening he'd make sure Juice was feeling safe, and if Tully dared, loved.

 


	2. Chapter 2

The next days moved along in a similar fashion to the previous. That was prison; day in and day out the same. Some men thrived, like Tully did. Many did not and descended into animals at best or men without principles at worst. Like the prison snitch; Tully was pleased to find out he'd lost his stomach for the practice. Quite literally, as it turned out, and they'd spent more time in lockdown. Of course that didn't exactly bother Tully. Nor did it bother him that the con who'd bartered for protection hadn't survived the fight to the death he'd initiated. One less man to look after.

The shot-caller made his way through the pop psychology book in the interim. Honestly it had been exactly what he'd needed and Tully eventually returned the two textbooks with thanks to Cornelius. All that remained was for Juice to return. The MC finally got in contact with them with the news that Kiefer was taken care of. That had been a fun conversation; Telford's voice dripped with malice as he passed along the information, except when he spoke of Juice. He softened when saying that his boy missed him, that for the damage that had been done Chibs thought he looked okay. Coincidentally their man started showing up at the Mafia's table. His own men, especially Nuke, bristled but left him alone as Tully ordered.

It was lunch. Pizza, or what passed for it. "We used to have this shit in elementary school." Nuke quipped as he watched Tully dab at the top with his napkin. "Come to think about it... We had all this shit in school."

Tully smirked. "So is prison, school or school, prison?" Finally he was satisfied with the state of his slice. "The same companies provide food for both." He was about to take a bite when something caught his eye and he straightened. A shaved, tattooed head was at one of the entrances to the cafeteria, and a moment later Tully saw Juice's sweet face appear. He clearly looked around, checking the room nervously before he walked in further with the slightest limp.

"PITBULL!!" The rest of the table had looked up at Tully's sudden silence and now Nuke leapt away from it, barreling towards Juice. Clearly he missed the other man.

Tully caught his boy's flinch, bracing himself for the impact. " _Nuke_." Tully didn't have to raise his voice much for the man to break off his charge. "Dumbass." A gesture and Mickey stood, getting back into the chow line. He'd talk his way into getting Juice's tray the most successfully. Tully didn't let his gaze leave his boy, now a little more relaxed due to Nuke's presence. Only a little, though, and he carried himself stiffly on top of the limp. That he was walking in on his own meant a great deal, showing the rest of the prison that he hadn't been completely broken. Movement at Brown made Tully glance over. They'd moved the MC's man well away from the table's edge keeping as many of them in between him and Nuke as possible. Who, good man that he was, was blocking Juice from seeing them. Tully realized then that the cafeteria had lowered in noise from its usual dull roar, watching the young man.

Tully still caught Juice's tension and fear before it vanished under bravado. He had to swallow his own anger at the MC's man. Focus only on Juice. Mickey returned before his baby boy arrived, setting the tray down at Juice's usual spot before sitting himself. "Arranged delivery of dinner for you both." He rumbled in Tully's ear.

God, Mickey was good too. Tully nodded as he laced his fingers beneath his chin. He wasn't going to subject his baby to this gauntlet unless he had to. Finally, they made it, Nuke pausing for one second behind Juice before he sat down. Clearly he knew the younger con needed to do it himself.

And he did. Slowly, protective of cracked ribs and tender abdomen Juice managed to sit down on the bench. His face was full of yellowing bruises, but they were better than the last image Tully had of him. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and his heart sped up a beat or five when Juice finally looked straight at him, giving him a shy, but pleased smile. "Hi."

Tully returned the smile with his own smirk. "Welcome back. Sorry about my rhino."

Juice shook his head, immediately starting in on the chocolate cake that was their dessert. "'Salright. Thanks Mickey." His boy was quiet in his gratitude. Quiet, in general. Not wanting to draw more attention to himself than he already had, Tully guessed. The shot-caller shifted a tiny amount, so he could nudge one foot against Juice's calf. Reassurance. His baby gave another smile. Cake gone, Juice picked the pepperoni off of the pizza slice. “Would you believe this is better than hospital food?” Trying, making conversation, bolstered by Tully's gentle touch.

“I call bullshit.” Nuke piped up, and finally the conversation picked up again. Tully remained quiet, still just watching Juice. It was entirely for show, trying to prove to the others that there was nothing wrong with him at all. To Tully though, Juice was an open book. The stiffness in his pose was not just pain, it was anxiety and fear. He knew the MC's man was somewhere behind him but he couldn't tell exactly where. Even the Brotherhood men around him made him a little jumpy.

They needed to return to the relative safety of their cell. The stress wasn't good for his baby's healing. It was then Tully caught up with his thoughts. He was being such a mother hen; was this what getting old was like? On the other hand he didn't have anything more pressing. His projects were in motion again but all he had to do was wait. He'd deliberately set it up this way so that he could focus on Juice.

His boy finished up his applesauce and he sighed with the tray only half-finished. “They said I'd have t'take it slow.” Juice looked up at Tully briefly, and then back down again. He was quiet once more, and Tully gave him a questioning, but encouraging look. “With real food.” Juice didn't elaborate here. Tully didn't push him, just rose. Everyone was done as they were going to get, they didn't need to stay here. The shot-caller grabbed Juice's tray; he was going to have enough work staying upright. Getting off the bench was taking him a lot of effort. They walked, and Juice settled in beside him. Not quite close enough to bump shoulders but Juice clearly felt safe there. “Pit, you gonna come outside with us?” Nuke, as usual was behind Juice as they walked slowly along to dump their trays.

Juice didn't startle, at least not to Tully's eye. “Nah, I'm going to take a nap without tubes and shit everywhere.” He gave a bit of a laugh. “Ain't gonna be winning any races today.”

“There's something there about bein' an old man but I'll let you off easy.” The mustached man grinned as he dropped his tray, grabbed the two Tully had, and dumped them too. “Yanno I got you a whole lifting thing done up while I was in the hole, so you better get better soon.” Nuke looked at Tully, and his eyes were clear. _Take care of him_ they said, and it almost made Tully laugh out loud with its insistence. “See you later.” Nuke and the rest of the muscle headed off outside, leaving Tully, Juice, and Mickey to themselves.

The three of them started to walk, and once they were away from the bustle Tully wrapped one arm around his boy, pulling him close. The shot-caller needed it, needed to feel Juice against him and judging by the way his boy pressed against his side despite the wince, he needed it too. “Tully, Ortiz, you know the rules.” Pearson fixed him with a hard stare, gesturing for the pair of them to separate.

Tully was about to comment about the new found stick up her ass but Juice beat him to it as he wiggled away. “Sorry, Pearson... I gotta go towards commissary anyway.” The young man didn't quite flee from the scene, but he turned so abruptly that it might have looked like that. Of course, Tully followed him though Mickey continued onto his cell. “Heard about...K-Kiefer.” It was like he was holding back more of a stutter saying the man's name. Juice shoved his hands into his pockets, mumbling only loud enough for Tully to hear. “Thank you. Sorry she's so pissed at you.” They walked the short distance away to where the inmates could purchase goods not provided by the prison.

“She'll get over it.” Tully watched him as he approached the window; they wouldn't give him any information if the other man was there, so Tully had to wait nearby. It was going to be a good show anyway, what with Mickey's unexpected gift. The man watched. Juice was at first surprised of course, but then he frowned as he limped away. “Problem?”

“There's...way more than there should be.” Juice sighed again, looking down as they moved away. “Um...Chibs....Chibs said he'd put some in my account.” The tension was back, now directed at the thought of what Tully might do. The shot-caller wasn't surprised that the Scot had done it, though a heads-up might have been nice. “I...It's just...” Juice looked up at him. Knowing, that now that he didn't have to put on a show he could crumble. And he was.

“Delivery was your idea.” Tully glanced around and now that Pearson had disappeared he pulled Juice close again. “You get paid. Isn't that how it works?” They walked, and Tully smirked a little. Not only at what he was saying but the fact that cons were parting for him and Juice like the red sea.

“Oh.” A pause. “Thank you.”

“I'll pass it along to Mickey. It was _his_ idea.” The small squeak that Juice let out almost made Tully laugh. Instead he leaned in on his boy and gave him a light kiss on the temple. It seemed like he was the only person who could just do as he wished with Juice; perhaps his boy wasn't nearly as mentally broken as he seemed. Or maybe Tully just had that power. Either way it was a heady thought. Finally they made it to their cell without getting caught by guards, and they stepped in. Juice first, though the slamming of the door behind him still made him flinch. Tully spotted a sheaf of paperwork on Juice's bunk. “You were here?”

“Yeah.” Juice sat down on the mattress after shoving the papers away. “Didn't...wanna carry this stuff in there.” He sighed. “Hospital instructions an' shit.” Juice laid back slowly, groaning as he did so. He was resting in a way that was a clear invitation for Tully to join. Tully frowned, crossing the cell and scooping up the pile before he himself sat next to Juice, folding his long legs so his entire body was on the bed. He watched his boy lightly rest his hands over his eyes, wince, and then set them on the mattress above his head. “Nothing new, been in enough fights.” Juice took a long deep breath in now that he was resting on the bed, held it, and then let it out just as slowly.

Tully flipped through it anyway. They were all care sheets for his various injuries; breathing for the broken ribs, ice when he needed for his nose and knee. Signs of more damage from the concussion and internal bleeding. Drink lots of water in case of kidney damage. Standard care sheets, but the last one made him pause, even if it too was normal. _Sexual assault and PTSD._

He must have made a noise because Juice looked to him. His boy saw the page he was on and reached for it with a wince as he rolled. “I'm not...nothing's wrong. Shit happened, it's fine.”

Tully kept it out of his grip, and took the hand that was reaching. “Baby. No shame, remember?” He gave it a brief squeeze before he let it go. Juice looked away from him while laying back, and Tully set the papers aside to edge closer. “Talk to me.”

Juice still didn't look at him, but Tully counted it as a win when he adjusted so that he could lightly rest his hand on Tully's knee. “A couple nightmares in th' hospital, 's all it was Papi.” Juice took another slow breath, this one hitching once. Tully couldn't tell if it was pain or upset as he took that hand again. “'S all... I ain't broken.”

“I didn't say you were, baby boy.” With his other hand he reached and stroked his boy's head. It was smooth, unlike when he'd left. “You're strong. Not everyone would have survived at all.” A great many prisoners would have given up, and then to have fought unconsciousness for as long as Juice did? Tully was _still_ impressed by it. “We don't have to talk about it now.” He wasn't going to give Juice a choice, even if it sounded open-ended. They would talk about it, eventually, because Tully doubted that it had “just” been a couple of nightmares. “Who got you all cleaned up up here?” The man smirked down as he once more petted that bald head. Juice's tattoos there seemed sharper, even.

Juice relaxed, clearly grateful that Papi had taken care of him, not pushed him to tread any further into dangerous waters tonight. Tully wasn't sure what else he would do; that was his job. “This nice nurse lady.” Finally Juice looked back to him, smiling that sweet shy smile that seemed to make the bruises fade even more. “They were all...pretty nice. Cept the one. She was a bitch.” His boy rolled his eyes. “Aaron kept her away mostly.”

“Aaron?” Tully leaned back against the wall.

“The guard?” Juice now struggled to sit up. Tully shifted off the wall immediately to help him, and when his baby was upright he moved back. Juice, surprisingly followed him. “C'n I...?”

Tully pulled him close, wrapping his arm around his boy. “Of course, baby.” Juice took a deep breath as he relaxed on Tully. This seemed to be quite a comfortable position for them both; they ended up in it so frequently. “Better?”

Juice nodded. “Thank you, Papi.” That smile again, and then it broke out further into a grin. “Though...ya think I could have some of that coke?”

He ducked his head as Tully lightly touched his nose. Very lightly, he didn't want to hurt Juice of course. “What coke?” Silly boy, why would Tully keep coke in his cell? It was searched, turned inside out, at least once a month. More, if Tully's projects became more visible to the guards. “It's not good for you, either.” Tully gestured with his free hand to the pile of papers. “I'm sure it's in that mess somewhere.” He had to keep from smiling too much when Juice pouted. “Maybe your birthday.” Tully kissed the top of his head. The man wasn't sure he could blame the boy for asking. He himself had gotten thoroughly fucked up after Juice's attack.

“Okay.” Juice pushed a little closer, squeezing himself tighter on his Papi's chest. Only briefly though, a hug but not at the same time. “Just...don't wanna...think so hard.” He sighed.

“Mmm.” Tully understood then. His boy _needed_ to be occupied. He managed well enough, according to Mickey, for the few days that Tully had been gone but no doubt the time in the hospital had exhausted him at best and drove him towards insanity at worst. There was only so much TV a smart person like Juice could watch before it was too much and TV was the only form of entertainment allowed in the hospital. Tully gave a little gesture to the books that were still on the table. Juice must not have seen them in his rush to get to lunch. “Perhaps thinking of something else, baby boy?” Tully tilted his head down at Juice, who had looked over at the books. “For now, til dinner.” Half-suggestion, half-order, with a definite time limit

His boy blinked and looked back up to him. “You kept them?” Juice started to struggle up again, hissing at the soreness he still felt.

“Why would I not?” Tully shook his head. “Stay there.” He untangled himself from his boy, and got up. “No one else is asking for them, and they're useful to you.” Tully picked up the books, and the legal pad Juice used. In so many words, it made him happy to have them, and that made Tully happy. He just couldn't say that out loud. The shot-caller came back and sat, letting Juice get settled against his chest once more before handing the books over.

Juice just beamed as he held them. Real happiness was him getting to work. Getting to be _useful_ to someone else again. Or at least working towards it, a clear path for him. “Thank you.” Soft, still. His hands brushed the fronts of the books like they were precious gold, and Tully just watched him.

“You're wel-” He was so distracted by Juice's hands he hadn't really felt his baby moving again. He'd straightened as best he could, and planted a very light, almost shy kiss on Tully's cheek before settling down again. “Welcome....” Tully felt his face heat a bit. He'd done it to Juice plenty of times, but never had he reciprocated. “You're so very surprising, Juice.” Tully let his baby boy see his own, genuine smile, a bit bashful and he knew it. Tully looked briefly away to collect himself before he put his focus back on him. “My good sweet baby boy.” He returned the kiss, lightly on Juice's head before the boy settled back down. Juice buried his face in one of the books. Not taking notes, just reading. Throwing himself into the distraction he needed, nestled safely on Tully's chest.

Being here, being in the cell with just the pair of them was going to, by far, be the easiest part of the day. Juice was content to cuddle, felt safe enough to do so. To finally relax. It was outside of here was going to be the challenge. Tully let his thoughts drift though his fingers kept dancing along the skin of Juice's arm. Meals could be handled, if he could convince Luis to make sure the MC's man wasn't staring at Juice. It would keep Nuke from going off, too. Probably, anyway. Considerations for being outside properly could wait until Juice was up and moving about more easily. The in between times? Sometimes Tully could be here for Juice, but he still had his work to do. They just would have to work towards Juice being able to function without him. Like he had when he'd gotten his stitches, or better. He dropped his lips onto Juice's head again. He was planning, but at the same time Tully hoped it wasn't necessary. That after a few days back into the prison routine with Tully actively there for his protection would bring his baby boy back to himself. A little jumpy, but outgoing enough that he could offer his opinions, his intelligence to people he trusted. Not kow-towing and submissive. Except to Tully, and only in the ways that they _both_ enjoyed. He put a clamp on that train of thought. It would likely be a while before Juice was interested in sex.

They sat, Juice reading and Tully thinking, only moving enough to keep limbs from getting sore. “Shit'd be so much easier if I had a computer. An' an internet connection.” Juice wiggled out from Tully's arm to stretch, gritting his teeth as he did so.

Tully chuckled, stretching himself while Juice was. “Not sure I quite have that kind of a favor stored up, baby boy.” A thought, though. “Cornelius might be able to help you. Especially if there's a diploma or the like.”

“Th' library cart guy? Yeah?” Juice looked down at his books again as he hunched slowly over to pop his spine. “There's ...certifications.” A pause, tentatively speaking to his Papi. Tully waited, fingers now trailing across Juice's shoulder blades. “They're expensive, though. I dunno.”

Putting his plans down before he had a chance to come to fruition. Seemed like something that the club would have done. Would have taught him to do to himself. That wouldn't work, not here. And not around Tully, who wasn't where he was because he'd been so negative. “Talk to him. As I understand it a fair number of companies will work with prisons and prisoners as a tax write-off.” It wasn't a suggestion from the older con, but an order. And loathe as he was to admit it his boy needed other people around him other than the Brotherhood and the librarian was a decent choice. Skin color aside, of course.

Juice looked up to him, and then nodded. “Okay.” Trusting that Tully had his best interests in mind. It made him warm inside even as some part of him made note that he'd have to get Juice to think critically about people's motives as well. Juice settled the books to the side and looked up to him. “C'n you help me up?” Tully could see the shame that was blooming in his eyes. Juice wasn't an invalid; it would just be a couple more weeks before he could do more, at more than a snail's pace. Tully understood that, even if Juice didn't know he did. Better to save his energy for when he had to show off to the rest of the prison.

Tully stood now and held out his hands for his boy. He braced, and Juice managed to pull himself up with only a minimal intervention from Tully. “Thanks.” Juice squeezed his eyes shut against what Tully figured was a wave of pain before he started to limp toward the toilet.

The older con pointedly ignored him, choosing instead to examine his own work on the desk, folding the love letters and stuffing them in envelopes. It was just the thing you did when your cellmate used the bathroom. You ignored them like there was a physical door there. Of course though, since it was Juice Tully had an ear on him. The sounds that came from his boy were almost a little gut wrenching. Small whimpers of pain, breathing against it. A moment of silence, and then a sigh of relief. Tully had no context for the sounds, and though he wanted to check he didn't. Just waited for the flush, which was the signal that it was okay to look. It came, and Tully turned to Juice.

Who was still on the toilet. Tully made a brief move to go and help, but it was aborted when Juice shook his head. “'M okay.” Just to prove that he was, Juice slowly stood, pulled his pants up, and turned around to the sink. Tully didn't look. “Jus' kinda tiring to move around. An', you know. Pee without a tube in your dick. They said it might take a few more days for the plumbing to work right all the time. Hey, you kept my cup!” Juice reached for the ridiculously bright red plastic cup emblazoned with the Iron Man character. Somehow it had gotten approved for sale at the commissary and it was one of the few things that Juice had actually asked him for.

“Mmhm.” Tully hummed, ignoring that once again Juice assumed that he would simply erase or get rid of his things. Another thing to discuss, later. “Drink some water while you're there. It'll help.” He gestured, knowing Juice could see him in the mirror. “With your plumbing.”

The back of Juice's neck flushed, but he did as he was told. The younger man downed an entire glass before he made his way back to the bed, sitting but as though he wanted to lay on it properly. Juice patted the pillow behind him, before Tully could make a comment on there being no space for him. His boy wanted to rest his head on his lap. Remain close, but maybe get some sleep while he was at it. Tully grabbed the book of poems, setting it down next to Juice's side while he climbed back in with his back to the wall. If they had the coke, it would be a near recreation of one of the first nights they'd been together. Tully began to pet Juice's head again. “Nuke's...still gonna be able to....?” His boy lifted his arm and surveyed the Reaper there. The slice Nuke had taken was healed entirely, probably the quickest thing to have done so. It only _looked_ deep, when Tully remembered it happening.

“Of course. Both arms.”

“Jus' the one is Sons ink.” Juice said quietly, shifting to lift up the sleeve on his other arm to show off the black and grey artwork there. “And...the two on my chest.”

Tully dragged his fingers down the boy's right arm. Honestly Tully liked the look of them. The aesthetic was metal, and a little blasphemous and they appealed to him “Are you sure you can keep them?” Juice shrugged, so Tully continued, making note to get a hold of Chibs. No need to subject Juice to more traumatic erasure than he had to. “Mm. And the ones on your chest?” Tully smirked as he moved his hand to lightly tickle down Juice's sternum. He could just reach down the neckline of Juice's shirt to peek, but that would be rude.

Juice chuckled, squirming until the movements made him wince again. “Easier to show you in the shower.” His boy looked up to him, catching his eyes for a moment before he dropped his gaze. “They...they're a couple of skulls. P-pretty stupid, but 's all...you know. Darkness and light and shit.” More silence as Juice's fingers came up to rest on one pectoral, where one must have been. Tully adjusted his own hand so he could rest it on Juice's. Give him the knowledge that his Papi still had him, of course. Finally Juice continued to talk. “I- I crossed a line. For Jax. Th' club, it was so fucked up.” He took a breath, his jaw working against the pain, against the recall of the events that lead to him getting that ink. “Jus'... tried to remind myself 'm not a monster.” A dry laugh that made Juice wince again made Tully squeeze his fingers. “Or maybe I am. There's more. 'S a whole thing, be easier to show like I said.” Juice now looked to the opposite wall away from Tully, bright brown eyes seeming to darken as he disappeared back into his mind.

Tully let his hand go to tilt Juice's chin back towards him, but he didn't push his baby boy to elaborate on what was more about the ink. This was more than he'd expected to get, and beyond that it clearly hurt Juice to keep talking about it. “Whatever you did, it doesn't make you a monster.” Tully then let his face go, so he could stroke it. “How you've acted since then...” Juice looked like he was going to interrupt, so Tully rested his fingers on those beautiful lips to silence him. “How you act going forward...that's what makes you a monster.” Tully knew what that was. He was; he killed with no remorse, and killed for his own ends. That was monstrous. The MC's man had brutalized his own former brother. That was monstrous. Tully could go on, but that was getting off topic and into places neither really wanted to be. “You can show me here when you get a chance. I don't shower with the others.”

Juice frowned, then sighed. Partly out of gratitude for not pushing him, and partly out of acceptance of the situation. Tully stroked his chin again, and his forehead. “Safer.”

“And my ass ain't for them to stare at.” That made Juice smile again.

“C'n I?”

Tully raised an eyebrow. “Stare at my ass?” His boy didn't have to ask him for _everything,_ now.

Juice blushed at the question, but forged on. “That...and...Shower by myself?”

It wouldn't be a bad idea for the first couple weeks. Long enough to heal some more physically; more importantly he'd have a better hold on his mind and emotions. “See what I can do.” The smile Juice had grew briefly bigger and Tully returned it. Of course Tully couldn't promise it, but he'd try. He bent over a bit so he could rumble into Juice's skin. “You can always lookit my ass, it's a nice one.”

Juice flushed even more and he opened his mouth to retort, or maybe agree, when a cart's sound came up to their cell. “Chow time.” A bored prisoner accompanied by one of the guards announced. Neither Juice nor Tully had noticed the mass movements of the others, they were so involved in their little world.

The older con pushed Juice up, and it only looked rough from the outside. It was actually fairly gentle and gave Juice enough of a head start that he could sit up and adjust himself. Still maintaining the fiction that Juice was a lot more healed than he was. Tully crossed the way to the cell doors, listening as Juice shifted so he could sit up with the wall as support. They could put themselves back later. Tully smirked a bit as he accepted the trays; he'd remembered he'd wanted to feed his baby boy by hand. He thought it would settle them both, be a good reward for Juice for sharing those things about his ink.

Tully took the two trays back, glad that neither the con doling out the meals nor the guard supervising him made any comment to their arrangement. No doubt Pearson would have ridden their ass. Tully sat down again, setting Juice's tray on his lap before he took his own. They were wrapped up for ease of transport and to keep the food hot.

“You know, I know this is Cali but more beef would be nice.” Juice scrunched his nose as he picked at the meatloaf, clearly made from turkey.

“Forget those 'Scared Straight' programs where you send kids to prison for a day. Just need to send them for dinner.” Tully laughed, getting Juice to crack up too as he took a bite off the bread.

“'No, no, I won't do drugs, just don't make me eat the lima beans!'” Juice snickered harder and then winced. “Ow. That was stupid.”

Tully leaned and gave him a kiss. It had been, but seeing Juice so pleased with himself made Tully avoid making any comment on it. Mostly, anyway. “My poor baby.” The man looked over to him. “If you finish it, I'll have something for you.” He'd bought a few more packages of candy while Juice was gone and stashed them. Because it was dinnertime, the pair of them were mostly alone in their cell block. “ _Including_ the lima beans.” Tully smirked at the look on Juice's face, glad the boy wasn't apparently resentful of his mother-henning. He would settle down eventually.

Juice dutifully started to munch on the succotash even if it looked like he was trying to keep from gagging it back up. “So much better things than this crap.” He groused as Tully ate his own food. “Like. Throwing this shit out and going with red beans and rice. Probably just as cheap.”

Tully rose an eyebrow. “You cook, baby?” His boy was endlessly surprising.

Juice nodded as he finished the vegetables as quickly as possible. Like a child might, but Tully paid it no mind. “None of the other--” For a moment Juice froze and went quiet. That faraway look was back, but it was only there for a second. “Th' other guys know how, really.” He gave a bit of a smile. Compensating for his lapse. “Li-lived on takeout unless someone else cooked.” Juice reached for the tiny cupcake that served as their dessert today. “So C-chibs and I took turns. When Gem or one of the other old ladies didn't.” He crammed the dessert in his mouth with one hand as the other sought out Tully's knee. For comfort or for grounding, the older man wasn't sure but he didn't stop his boy from taking care of himself. Tully was grateful that this seemed to be as bad as his flashbacks and disassociation got. They could be debilitating, according to the studying he'd done.

“Mm, maybe I'll get you into the kitchens.” Tully nudged that hand, pulling the conversation away from dangerous places once again. “Though what would Nuke talk about if the food wasn't terrible?”

It made Juice laugh weakly. “He'd find something.” Juice lapsed into quiet, eating with one hand. It wasn't the uncomfortable sort of silence between them. Just two friends _(Lovers?_ Tully's mind filled in for him) who could just be without having to always talk.

When they were done, Tully took Juice's tray and set it on their desk. As he walked back Tully reached up to his bunk, grabbing one of the bags he'd stored behind his pillow. This one was Skittles. Was it a little demeaning, to reward a grown man with candy? Possibly, but Juice's small smile grew even as he twitched and winced to rearrange himself as he had been. “Good?” Tully slotted himself in so that once again Juice's head was in his lap. His boy nodded, opening his mouth as Tully tore into the package. Now he couldn't help his own smile as he slipped one of the colorful little spheres onto Juice's lips where his boy sucked it into his mouth. “Good boy.” Tully gave him another, this time holding onto it so Juice had to nibble lightly with his teeth to get it out of Tully's fingers. He set the bag down and with his other hand and his long reach Tully grabbed the poetry book that had shifted around during their movements.

Juice accepted another piece before he tilted his head to look at Tully. “Readin' to me?” His boy gave that smile again, the shy sweet one.

“For a little while.” Tully popped one of the skittles into his mouth before he gave another to Juice. He was babying Juice a bit, yes, but his boy didn't seem to mind. At least while they were alone. “Perhaps just before lights out.” Juice seemed to need, or want, the passage of time being marked out definitively. Perhaps Tully just needed to do it for him. He didn't contemplate it, just went back to stroking Juice's scalp while he flipped through the book. “Mm, remind me to pick up another one.” Tully looked down to his baby, smirking at the blissful look on his face. “This one is quite dreary.” Actually the copy was Tully's, not the prison's. He needed it for other purposes, not just reading them to a young scared convict.

“I like it.” Juice said softly. As though Tully didn't know that and he was letting a secret be shared between them. “'Well thou hast spoken, and yet not taught a feeling strange or new'...” The boy blushed as he brought his bright brown eyes up again. “If I can do requests?” The smile he had was a lopsided one, now.

“Just you.” Tully made it to the poem. Not the first, but maybe the most relevant with its talk of duality and finding something, or someone, that was lost to the writer. Or perhaps the writer finding themselves; Tully could read into it even deeper than he had knowing a little bit more about Juice. It was fascinating and the man not so secretly hoped he could learn more with this forced downtime his boy was going to be struggling with. It might have been selfish but no more so than moving Juice to his cell or even saving him from death. He was just that way with the other man. Juice was one hundred percent his.

A tug at his fingers pulled him from his mind. “Papi?” Juice's voice was still soft and small, his hand sliding back to touch Tully's wrist before he removed it.

Tully bent over again and gave his boy yet another light kiss on the forehead. “Sorry, beautiful. Sometimes I think too much too.” He smiled and looked down at the book. “'Well thou hast spoken, and yet not taught a feeling strange or new; Thou hast but raised a latent thought, A cloud-closed beam of sunshine brought to gleam in open view.'” His beam of sunshine's eyelids slid shut again and he took a slow calm breath. Deep, though. Enough to stretch his lungs like he was supposed to.

He finished that poem, and then another. The book wasn't that easy to hold one-handed but he managed, using the other to keep touching his boy; feeding him candy or stroking his head. Juice kicked off his shoes while he laid there. Clearly he had no desire to get up again if he could help it. Tully wouldn't make him, either. The sounds around them increased as people returned from dinner and finally Tully was forced to stop. Good timing, to be honest, because when he looked up Nuke was hanging off of the bars of his door. “Hey, boss?” His voice wasn't too loud, apparently unsure if Juice was awake.

“Mm?” Tully's hand continued to pet now, rolling up the bag of candy for later.

“Uh, hope you don't mind, but I decided there wasn't enough light in the art studio.” He stared at Tully significantly. “Moved it upstairs.”

The tattoo. Tully had trusted Nuke to make the arrangements, but he'd forgotten the man favored doing it down in the machine shop areas. That, now, would absolutely not do. Tully nodded. He was curious as to whether or not it had been Nuke's idea. It could very well have been Mickey's. “Jus' lemme know soon. We've got the space til the end of next week 'fore I gotta fight for it again.” The big man rolled his eyes. “An' Mickey wants to talk business with you at some point. Like, tomorrow at breakfast.”

Tully was about to acknowledge what Nuke said when Juice murmured from his place still on his Papi's lap. “Thanks, Nuke.” He slightly sat up now, blinking sleepily. Tully could feel the tension in his body start to rise, partly out of pain from the movement and partly due to the return of the crowds. The shot-caller wasn't sure but he figured Juice broke the code and that Nuke moved it elsewhere for his benefit. He could see, deep in Juice's eyes that he was truly grateful for that. “Day after tomorrow...?” Juice tilted his head back to Tully questioningly, and Nuke gave him a similar look. Though Nuke's was as much wondering if he was going to let Juice just talk for him.

Damned straight he was, at least when it concerned the boy and his own body. He'd had enough autonomy taken from him. “My schedule is clear.” As far as Tully knew, anyway. He'd make sure it was.

Nuke shrugged. “Alright. I'll make the plans and get our art supplies.” He snickered. “Night boss, night Pit.”

Tully gave him a wave off, and just before Juice was about to lay back down in his lap Tully stopped him. Supported him gently while he slipped out. “Hold on, sweet boy.” Lights out was still an hour or so away, but Tully wanted his pajamas on then. As he did so, he looked down again. Juice had brought his legs up, so they were bent and his feet rested on his bed. Those brown eyes were far away once again, and his right hand lightly rubbed at the ink on his left forearm and they both rested on his knees. He'd set a date for that tie to be severed. Years of his life, destroyed. Without thinking about it prior and now he was going to do entirely too _much_ thinking about it. Tully couldn't exactly blame him. Gang ink was your family emblazoned permanently on your skin. If you had to get rid of it, it was like getting rid of your family. Or, more likely such as in Juice's case, your family getting rid of you. It wasn't supposed to be like that, not with blood family or with the family you'd chosen. Especially that one, the one you did _things_ for.

Tully sat down on the bed once he was redressed, but he didn't make Juice move just yet. The boy was still touching, now staring, at the Reaper. “Just gettin' this one over with.” He didn't look at Tully, his fingers tracing over the gun-scythe. “C'n hide the rest.” A pause, and he swallowed. “Long as m'shirt stays on.”

The boy drifted away into his thoughts again, letting his hands drop to his side. Tully had to keep him from burying further. “Baby boy. Juice.” He waited until he was focused once more on Tully sitting above him. “I got you.” The breath Juice took was once more shuddering and Tully wondered what was going on in that mind of his. Another shaky breath and he had to act before Juice drowned in himself. “You don't have to.” Tully reached, taking Juice's hand. “I don't _want_ you to, baby boy. Not if it's not for you.” Forget the Club and their rules and demands. If Juice wasn't ready, then Tully would back him. _He_ made the rules here. Tully briefly glanced towards Nuke's cell, very much about to signal him to drop the appointment before it started.

When he took his boy's hand, Juice clamped down on it and looked to Tully. “I--” A long pause, and then Juice started again. “It's for me. I can't-- I can't keep jumpin' at every shadow thinking. Th-thinking someone else from the Club is gonna...” He trailed off, and Tully marveled now at Juice's emotional strength once he continued. That fight he had. “Need t-to start moving on. Please.”

That _please_ would always get Tully. The begging, brown eyes wide and needy for whatever he was asking for. Pleading and laying himself low usually for the sake of another. This time it was for himself. Or he said it was, and Tully had to trust him. The man reached over with his free hand and stroked Juice's cheek very gently. “I reserve the right to change my mind, baby boy.” To pull the plug on this endeavor if he thought it wasn't going to be good for Juice. That was his job, after all.

Juice nodded, brushing his cheek on Tully's palm softly. He slowly relaxed, or at least let the physical tension drain out of him. Relaxation wasn't likely to happen for a little while yet. “Thank you, Papi.”

“You're welcome.” The pair sat like that for a little while, until the lights suddenly shut out on them and the prison's noises started to die down. In the dark Juice's fingers squeezed Tully's, having not let go yet. “Still here, beautiful.” He didn't have to go anywhere anytime soon. Sleep could wait. Tully squeezed back comfortingly, but Juice slipped his hand away before shuffling on the bed indicated that he'd moved.

It was in the dark that Juice found his voice again, high and tight as he faced the wall now. The only way he could lie on his side, with his knitting ribs upwards. Trusting only Tully with his back. “They're bad.” It was only barely above a whisper. “The nightmares. It happens over...and over again...” Tully himself shifted, loud enough that Juice could hear before Tully lightly ran one hand down his arm. His baby boy flinched at even that. “Sorry. Nights...I can't sleep, Papi.”

The tiny whimper, cut off out of pain nearly broke Tully. “Shh, baby boy. Shh. Do you want me to stay here?” He had to give Juice that choice. He felt the nod more than heard any noise; he wasn't sure that Juice had actually made any. “Hold you?” Asking permission. Getting consent. That thing that Tully never did, he was doing. Only for Juice.

“Yeah.” The reply was young, so young. Tully had to cut off his desire to break the MC's man once again. It wasn't helpful. Not yet. His baby boy was speaking again. “They're bad.” He repeated. “'Fraid I'll wake you up. 'M so tired, though...”

Tully doubted that was really the fear he had. Fear of hurting Tully, angering the shot-caller. Hurting himself, maybe. Tully was going to have to clamp down on his own responses if he was woken suddenly. They were automatic, but only mostly. He could relax them here in his cell. If Juice got violent, it wouldn't be on purpose. “If you wake me up, baby, I'll stay awake with you. It'll be okay. Gonna lay down now.” Tully moved again, slowly slipping down in the space he knew Juice always left for him. His baby was still tense, and Tully dared not slide closer for the moment. “Just me and you, beautiful. No one is going to come in here. Lift your head?” Juice was going to be an active participant in this. He deserved that.

Juice did, and the other man slid his arm underneath the pillow. Something in between him and his boy, so that it was so very different from anything that had happened in the machine shop. “There we go. Comfortable?” Another nod and Juice curled the slightest bit, trying to get more contact with Tully. “Still right here, beautiful.” He graced his fingers on Juice's upper arm, sliding them down and then back up again before curling the rest of his own long limb around Juice. The boy took another breath and finally, finally relaxed all the way now that Tully was holding him properly. “There you go, my sweet, smart, so very strong boy. Close your eyes, I'll be here when you wake up.”

Tully, gentle and slow, with a broken man he actually cared about. If someone had told him that he would be doing it a year ago, Tully might have decked him. Hell, it wouldn't have taken a year ago; even just after saving Juice, he might not have done this. Tully didn't think about it. This was right, this was the way it was supposed to be. He hummed very softly in his deep bass voice. It wasn't any particular tune, made sounds that Juice could feel more than anything else. “'M not strong.” Juice mumbled after a little while.

“Yes you are, baby boy.” Tully kept his voice low and soothing. “You've survived so much.”

“An' now I'm afraid of the dark.” Another shudder against his body and Tully lightly squeezed him closer.

“Not for no reason.” Tully kissed the back of Juice's head. “Don't punish yourself for it. Not your fault, understand? No reason to be ashamed.” Juice nodded, and sighed. Tully gave him another kiss and felt the boy settled down once more. “Let go, baby. I've still got you. Still gonna be here when you wake up.” Juice didn't say anything more, but Tully knew he was still awake for some time. Thinking, no doubt, about his life. Maybe about Tully, he didn't know. Finally though Juice's breathing evened out and he was boneless beneath Tully's arm. Asleep, for as long as his too-busy, too-traumatized mind would let him. Tully drifted off as well now that his boy was in dreamland. It had been a long day and honestly he was exhausted. Tomorrow wasn't looking any shorter, either.

 


	3. Chapter 3

The night passed. Once, or twice, Juice had started with quiet whimpers but Tully managed to soothe him without fully waking himself. The second time, Tully had the thought that they might just make it til the morning.

That had been tempting fate. Tully didn't know exactly how long it had been but he was woken violently with an elbow to the ribs. Juice was thrashing against him, making small sounds that were totally at odds with the terror-induced strength in his unconscious movements. “Juice. _Juice._ ” Tully jerked his face back to avoid the boy's head coming at it, and he unwrapped himself before he ended up with an injury of his own. “ _Juice. Wake up_.” Tully's heart pounded as he slipped off the bunk and stood. It was hard, harder than anything he'd seen in a long while, to watch as Juice tangled himself in the sheets. The sounds didn't get any louder, but more frequent as he contorted in ways that would stress his injuries.

It had to stop. The nightmares seemed like they were way more than that. Night terrors, or perhaps sleeping flashbacks. Didn't matter right this second. Tully ducked under his own bunk again, pulled Juice onto his back and pinned him. Even with both hands on his boy's shoulders, Tully had to put a lot of his weight down onto Juice to keep him from struggling. “Juice. Baby boy, c'mon sweet.” Tully didn't care who heard. “Wake up, beautiful. It's just a dre-”

Finally, too long after he'd started Juice silenced for a moment before he gasped awake. Tully released him just in time, because his baby boy sat up and scrambled to the toilet without any thought. He watched as Juice practically collapsed in front of it and heaved into it, cringing with pain in between each wave of nausea.

Tully looked out of his cell, spotting the concerned eyes of his fellow AB. He gave them a wave, the kind that told them he had it all under control. Which, for once, he didn't, but he couldn't let them know that. He crossed his cell, making sure to make enough noise that Juice wasn't startled. That ridiculous red cup was sitting on the sink, so he filled it with water before he slid down the wall to sit nearby his boy until he was done.

It didn't take long, but his boy didn't move his head from where it rested on the cool steel. Just reached up and flushed. “Sorry.” Juice's voice was rough, holding back emotion as best he could but the tiny tremble that was starting to work his way back into his body betrayed him. His eyes were red-rimmed when he lifted his face to Tully. Not just from the puking.

Of course he'd apologized first. Like it was his fault. “I'm fine, beautiful.” Tully leaned forward and nudged the cup against Juice's knuckles. “Drink some. Slow.”

Juice sat up and took it, clasping it in both hands like a child might. “Woke you up.” He sipped, staring down and well away from the door. “Woke everyone up.” Juice looked green again. “S-sorry...”

Tully slid over on the wall. At the same time reaching for Juice, so that he could settle the boy next to him. He didn't fight, just bit his lip to keep distracting himself from the pain. “I'm fine, and they are too.” It was the truth, the rest had rolled back over in their bunks to get a little more sleep. And give the shot-caller and his boy some privacy.

He didn't expect it but Juice leaned on Tully's arm. It meant he couldn't hold his boy, but whatever Juice felt comfortable with. “Sh-shit, that hurts.” Juice sighed as he took another sip before Tully could remind him. “Don't lemme puke again.”

“I'll do my best.” Tully looked over at him. He knew he wasn't going to get Juice to tell him about the nightmare, so he wasn't going to ask. “Anything especially painful?” He did need to know if Juice's thrashing had done any more damage.

The boy shook his head. “Thank you.” He sighed, straightening up again. Tully cursed himself internally; he'd sat on Juice's wrong side and made the boy put pressure on the broken ribs. Juice wiped his face with the back of his hand and stared at the floor between his legs. It looked like he was trying to steel himself for something. To talk about what he dreamed. The older man could wait, like he always could. He rested one hand lightly on Juice's knee, tracing an idle pattern there while the boy thought. Finally, his boy shook his head and sniffled. “Can't.” He sighed again, clearly feeling defeated. “C-can't t-talk 'bout it.”

Juice looked about ready to cry. Really he was already doing so, he was just trying to hide it by not letting his tears fall. “It's okay, baby.” Tully moved his hand. He intended to take Juice's, but it was still holding the cup. Instead he lightly gripped his forearm, and his long fingers partially obscured the Sons' ink. “You don't have to talk about it now.” Later, maybe. Not now. “I've got you, beautiful. You're just to focus on getting better.” Another nod from his boy though he was staring at how Tully was covering the ink. White skin over dark, certainly, but the Reaper disappeared. _Let me take care of the details._ Tully didn't have to say it, he just knew that Juice knew it.

They sat together like that for a little bit longer before Juice spoke. “Help me up?” Juice pulled his arm out from under Tully's hand and slowly shifted to his knees. He set his jaw and looked over at Tully. “C'n I go to breakfast with you?”

Tully's eyebrows went up, but at the same time he stood. “Of course.” Tully held out his hands. He would let Juice take the lead on how he wanted to do this; Tully had to trust that his boy wouldn't push himself too much. After all, Juice had asked him for the help.

His boy first set the cup in one of his hands. Tully returned it to the sink before Juice wrapped his fingers around Tully's. Juice took a breath, giving a chance for the other man to brace. Carefully his boy got his feet beneath him, using Tully and the wall as support. It was clear to the older man that it hurt but Juice made no sounds. Just struggled until finally he was standing. “There you go.” Tully smirked and pet Juice's head. It only looked condescending; the boy straightened to push into the light touch. Tully glanced at Juice's bolted-to-the-wall dresser. “'S clean.” He'd gotten the laundry back, clean and folded like his own and Tully had set it in there before he slipped the sheets back onto the bed. Juice blushed and it was still pretty even after their eventful morning and last couple of weeks. He passed by his cellmate to grab proper clothes. Tully settled for brushing his teeth first but he couldn't help himself. He needed to see the extent of the damage with his own eyes and he lifted them to see Juice in the mirror.

Juice's back was full of yellowing bruises just like his face. They were worse over his kidneys, and there were even distinct boot prints that partially wrapped around his back. Clear as day over the broken ribs. Tully couldn't see lower, but it was enough. He spat to cover his flare of anger and couldn't look again. Especially when he heard Juice's pants now drop to the floor. Instead Tully pulled his own shirt off, tossing it towards the dirty laundry pile. Make Juice know he wasn't the only vulnerable one, even if Tully wouldn't let him outwardly look any more than Juice let him.

They dressed in silence except for the sounds of the prison. The boy was much slower, but he managed to finish before it was time for breakfast. “Comin' with us?” Nuke and the rest of the men stood in front of Tully's door, clearly waiting for them. It was good they hadn't made a nuisance of themselves while they did; it might have made Juice reconsider leaving the cell. Tully gave them a look of approval behind his boy's back and approached the door.

“Yeah.” Juice gave them as much of that megawatt smile as he could. Once again show the rest of the prison that he hadn't been broken. That he was just fine. All assembled knew how untrue that was and it only made Tully want to grab and hold him. Shelter him from the need to hide like that. But he didn't. Just let his boy walk out first so that no one could sneak up behind him and as usual they fell in their loose circle around him. Juice settled to his left as usual.

But Tully could just _feel_ the tension in Juice's body. Part of it was trying to keep pace with the longer-legged man, however the other was Nuke's presence at his back. His boy probably liked Nuke the best, trusted him the most, out of all of his men. It still wasn't nearly enough. “So, Pit. You still up for paintin' tomorrow?” Nuke's voice wasn't loud but Juice still jumped and Tully wanted to wrench his boy in front of him.

“Y-yeah.” Juice glanced briefly at Tully before he turned to look at Nuke. “Be good to get out and do somethin' that isn't...”

“Sit around an' be an Easter egg head?” To Tully's surprise, they both laughed at it. Juice's was a little forced, but it was a laugh.

Juice nodded as they made it into the cafeteria. Tully was about to actually pull him closer but Juice beat him to it, sidling a step inward so he was just barely bumping shoulders with the man. No one commented. No one would. On Tully's other side Mickey made a noise. He had a business meeting with the man, he remembered. And he saw Pearson eyeballing the group of men as they stepped into the chow line. Until they hired someone else to replace Kiefer, he'd have to get clearance for Juice to shower alone with her. That thought made him swear quietly, because clearly she was still pissed at him for the other guard. “Not you, baby.” Juice had cringed at the language and Tully needed to reassure him.

Nuke wolf-whistled at Tully's back, but it was rapidly cut off with a swat from Mickey behind even him. “Thank you.” Tully turned to Nuke to glare at him. Someone forgot his manners, though it must have taken a lot for the other man to keep his mouth shut in front of their cell earlier. “Goddamnit.” He took his tray, and alongside the hot cereal and milk carton was a peanut butter and banana sandwich.

Tully let out a sigh as he made his way to the table. Once they didn't have to be in a proper line, Juice moved back to his side. A smile was pulling at the edges of his lips and his voice was low. “As if it couldn't get any crappier of a morning, huh?” Juice set the tray down and sat slowly like he had the previous night. He wore the self-deprecation like an armor, Tully realized. If he could snark about it, no one else would be able to and actually hurt him. Honestly it was an improvement. Actively fighting back in his own way, not just passively hiding his injuries and hoping no one would comment.

Tully picked up the hated sandwich and dropped it on Juice's tray. In the next move he pulled the hot cereal over to his own. Juice watched him, and then shrugged as he picked up the sandwich. “Fair.” He hunched over as he ate, taking drinks of the milk every once in a while. Aside from the bruises and stiffness, it was a normal breakfast for the younger man. “Yeah?” He looked over to Nuke, who had gotten his attention.

“My kid brother wants a bike, wants a Harley. Which one should I tell my ma to look into?”

“First bike?” Juice paused in the act of getting his food down. Safe topic, and Tully listened as he himself ate. When Nuke nodded, Juice shook his head. “Not a Harley.” He lifted a hand when the other man sounded put out. “They're expensive even used and heavy an' _when_ you lay one down you'll want neither of those things.” Juice gestured. “Thierry can back me up. Yeah, Harley's got the whole 'Made in America' thing but you don't wanna learn on 'em...”

Tully stopped listening. Not just because he wasn't that interested though Juice's enthusiasm made him smirk, but Mickey had nudged him in the ribs. Right, business meeting. Tully looked over at him, quirking an eyebrow. “Pork prices are down.” Human trafficking. Girls, migrants, whatever. The Brotherhood took a cut when they moved through certain states or with certain street gangs. Payment was low, and Mickey was about to continue onto the reason why. “FDA is checking closer into our shipments. Saying we're not carrying prime meat.” The statement made Tully groan. It meant that the Border Patrol wanted more money to look the other way. Had to be south of the border, those men were always needing more. To be fair to them, they were usually more scrutinized than their comrades to the north or the coastal ports.

Jackson didn't have anything on the Brotherhood. He might have been juggling the cartel and the IRA, but they were criminals. Tully dealt with federal agencies that spanned the entire country. Or two, even. They had far more to lose than criminals, and so would often act far more desperately if things went badly. “Reach out to Luis. See if he can convince his farmers in the south to unionize. We'll provide support for that.” _Get more money from the cartels. We'll do our part._ Mickey nodded at the instructions. Juice was still talking about engines or some shit like that, so once again Tully tuned him out. “What other business?”

“Next shipment of fresh fish is supposed to include a lot of carp. Supposedly.” Tully looked over at him, frowning. Of the new inmates arriving at Stockton, an appreciable number were to be Chinese.

“Better look for more fishermen, then. Otherwise our little lake is going to be swarming with them, take over the native species. Which I assume is the plan.” Tully finished the last swallow of hot cereal, working on the milk. If the Triads were trying to put another foothold into the prison, he'd be ready for them. Ready for possible retaliation. Not possible, probable. Tully scanned the cafeteria as he did occasionally. He spotted the MC's man, eating in silence even as the rest of the Mafia spoke animatedly around him. At least he didn't seem to have made real friends with them, that was good. Tully didn't let his eyes linger on the other man lest it be taken as a challenge, just checked the rest of the room before he focused back on Mickey. “Keep going.”

Mickey then ran through the boring financial details, and the news that the rest of their work was proceeding as planned. Because of course it was; Tully was meticulous when it came to making money. “And completely coincidentally, boss.” Mickey finally finished his report, entirely encoded. He lowered his voice. “There was reports of a couple more cross lightings in the same neighborhood as where the pig lived.”

Tully stared at him, and then smirked. Mickey might have taken it upon himself to engineer more of the terrorizing acts. “Oh really...?” And now he had something to trade with Pearson; it really was coincidence that it was Kiefer's place, after all. “What is this world coming to, brother?” Conveniently Pearson passed behind them on her usual rounds. Tully caught Juice's eyes flicking towards her, and then down. She had helped him, but she was still a guard. And they weren't really to be trusted here. “Mind if we chat, Pearson?” He leaned back and looked to her, tilting his head and keeping himself loose and relaxed. Trustworthy. Tully even let his accent slip and out of the corner of his eye he saw Juice stuff his face to cover a grin. He'd figured it out, at least, even if the guards were all morons.

For a moment she stared right back and then gestured. Tully turned and stood up from the table, smirking at his men and giving Juice the tiniest wink. His boy blushed, but there was the smallest worry in his eyes now. “I'll be right back, gentlemen.” Assurance as he submitted to her cuffs, primarily for Juice. He followed her a short distance into a hallway so they could talk without the noise of the room around them.

“What is it, Tully?” She looked up at him, suspicious. Pearson still had a hold of his cuffs; a less experienced guard would have let go so they could speak like people face to face.

It didn't matter to him, much. “I might have just heard some news about those lightings you told me about.” He didn't raise his voice or bend down nearly enough, but she was good. She still heard him. “The ones in Kiefer's ghetto? But I have...a favor.” Then he waited. That was how you did it. Quid pro quo. Information for favors. Favors for information. Cold, hard, cash for anything. Nothing in prison was ever free and he knew she knew it.

“Go on.” Her blue eyes were narrow, searching.

Tully rolled his shoulders as best he could so they wouldn't stiffen. “Ortiz. I want him to shower with me.”

“Of course you do.”

Tully couldn't help but give her a filthy look at that. What exactly did she think he was? Some kind of animal, obviously. “Simply in the single showers. _Separately_. _”_ Pearson wasn't a moron, he really knew that. So he didn't yet bother to explain his demands. That he wasn't going to fuck Juice in the shower should be enough for her. “For a few weeks, at least.” So he didn't have to go through the gauntlet of being naked around anyone but Tully.

“Would be better for him.” It looked like she was considering it. “What do you know?”

Better than nothing, or no thought at all. “You may hear of more lightings in the same place.” He paused, looking at her. It wasn't snitching if you were lying to authority in a power play. “I'm hearing it's the Triads.” Then a smirk to complete the facade. “Maybe even framin' the good white folk of this prison for their own perverted pleasure. You know how they can be, mm?” There. Put scrutiny on the Chinese entering the prison, which did a lot of Tully's job for him, and get the prison guards off of his back. It might, just might, even shield the MC from investigation. Not that he cared about them, of course, but Juice did and they would still be useful allies.

Pearson was silent, staring up at him for a long time. Her eyes were such a fierce, fascinating blue and he wondered the kind of relationship they might have had if things were different. Very different. He held her gaze and finally she nodded. “I don't imagine it will be a problem with Ortiz. It would be a temporary arrangement, of course.” Pearson started to walk, and he followed peacefully. If, after Juice felt better, he wanted to shower with him Tully could just pay for it. He personally couldn't imagine doing it very often; while he adored Juice the man simply preferred to shower by himself. “Day after tomorrow?” Tully again nodded, and then made a positive sound in case she didn't hear. The hot water would be good on Juice's new tattoo, too.

Pearson released him to his bored-looking Brotherhood. They'd taken out a pack of cards and were busy playing a game of what looked like hearts. Nuke was teaching Juice the complex game, and his boy looked to be picking it up fast. “You gentlemen weren't gambling, were you?” Pearson looked over them, with an eyebrow raised. A chorus of mumbled negatives made her smirk. “Didn't think so. Mr. Fleischer, it's fortunate breakfast's over. You and Mr. Ortiz would be getting the Bitch next round, not the trick.”

Tully actually snickered, watching as Nuke checked his cards and the cards in front of him in the pile. Pearson had some secrets about her, or perhaps she was just well-versed in the game and used the inmate's language to keep herself accessible to them. “Damnit.” Nuke growled as he conceded. “You an' I can practice, Pit.”

“Yeah.” Juice glanced up at Tully and started the slow process of getting up off of the table. He looked tired all of a sudden. “Mebbe later, Nuke. Feel like a nap.” Tully sidled over to Juice's side, waiting there until his boy was all the way up. It was a possessive maneuver but no one would comment on it. It seemed like Pearson had gotten over herself even, with the information Tully had given her. False though it was. He felt the smallest brush of fingers on his own. To a casual observer it looked accidental, if they even caught it. The boy was good at subtlety. Tully looked back down at Juice, and there was a clear question in his eyes. Was Tully coming with him?

Pearson piped up. “I'll walk you back to your cell, Ortiz.”

“Thanks, ma'am.” He gave her that smile, and seeing it made Tully shift his gaze to Mickey.

His second rolled his eyes and flicked his hands in a shooing motion. Tully spotted him mouthing something about a spic housewife, but he could ignore that. Instead he nodded, knowing the rest of the men would be just fine outside. Once again he was waiting on the work to need his attention, or rather he was waiting on others. Tull took a couple of long steps to catch up to his boy and the guard, as they were leaving. “--can't condone what's going on officially, you know that. But if you need anything...if he's not treating you well, you know there's help. Tully's not all powerful.” Pearson was talking to Juice. The older con slowed so that he could listen without interrupting. She was questioning Juice on his relationship, offering him a way out if that was what he wanted. Again it didn't come free; an inmate would be expected to give them information in exchange for the safety. Snitch on their cellmate, pure and simple. Standard offer for when a prison found out about such a relationship as he and Juice had formed. Apparently the administration had taken note.

“I know. He's....” Juice trailed off, and then continued with a sigh. Not that defeated one, something else. “I trust him.” There was a lot to those words, and they all knew it.

“Alright. Offer still stands.” She laughed warmly as they turned towards their cells. “At least try to follow the rules, when you're up for it.”

That was a good enough time to make the entrance, especially with how Juice's neck turned bright red. “Oh, we'll be model prisoners.” Tully slipped up to Juice's other side, smirking down at her. He was just a few inches officially too close, already pushing her boundaries. Really it was to soothe Juice, who had jumped when he spoke up from behind him. “I promise.” They stopped briefly in front of their cell, and Tully gestured for Juice to enter first.

The door shut behind them when he followed, and they turned to look at Pearson. At least Tully did. Juice was quiet as he shuffled to his bed. Tully gave her a long look, raising his eyebrow until she moved away. No doubt it looked suspicious in the way she'd been questioning Juice about, but sometimes timing really was unfortunate.

“I didn't say anythin' to her, I swear.” Juice's shaking voice made him look away from the door and towards the boy. Tully remembered what the MC's man called him. _Rat. Snitch._ And what he'd done to Jackson's family, how he'd covered up so much and lied to so many people. It was honestly a legitimate worry that Tully might think he'd gone and talked. He _had_ done it before. Juice looked up at him, laying on his back with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Didn't think you did, baby?” Tully came over, putting his hands up on his bunk. Making himself open, and safe. “It's not the first time I've heard that conversation.” He smirked, trying to get Juice to laugh or at least smile. There was so much fear in his eyes, it hurt a little. “What can I say, I'm a bit of a slut.” That did it. The corners of his boy's mouth twitched and he relaxed. “It's okay.” Tully finally sat down on the bed and lowered his voice. “I trust you too.”

Juice's eyes widened at Tully's confession, and then reached out for his hands. The older man willingly gave them, tangling his fingers in Juice's. It was intimate in a way that sex hadn't been, or even sleeping in the same bunk. They were a pair of men, getting to know yet another part of their partner's body. Juice's hands were rough. Mechanic's hands, not stained like they might have been on the outside but Tully could see the little nicks and scars that came with working with engines. He was warm, too, like his stress radiated out through his fingers in the form of heat. His own hands were being stared at, all the tattoos there memorized and classified. The boy had questions about them, but he was holding his tongue for another time. His hands too had scars, many self-inflicted in a darker period of his life but most were evidence of his criminal history.

Finally after a long while Juice released him with a stupid happy smile now starting to grace his face. Calm again after the excitement of breakfast and then the stress of his talk with Pearson. “Alright, beautiful boy.” Tully didn't want to keep him up any longer than necessary. If he needed a nap, then he would get it. “Still tired?”

Juice nodded and slowly rolled over to his side. “Wake me up f'r lunch?”

“Of course I will.” Tully paused, not getting up just yet. He genuinely wasn't sure if Juice wanted him to remain; either way he would be good. If his boy wanted him to stay, he could get more sleep himself. If not, there was always work to be done. Tully glided his fingers along Juice's scalp again, just reveling in the sensation of the smooth skin there. Making sure that his boy didn't become afraid of that too. Tully couldn't imagine the thought. Couldn't bear it.

“If you got stuff to do....” Juice hummed at the little strokes, speaking before he trailed off. “I'll be alright.” It sounded like he believed himself too, and it wasn't like Tully could go far. He could always cuddle his boy again if the nightmares took over.

Tully leaned over to drop a kiss on Juice's temple. “Alright.” He rumbled before straightening and getting up off the bed. Tully made a list of all the things he needed to do: draft requests for meetings with various street gangs and law enforcement agencies; write those lonely-hearts letters; do a cell-based workout. He'd been slacking terribly on that last one. Tully would, at some point, have to join his men outside before they dragged him against his will. He smirked as he sat at their desk. Nuke especially was very keen on making sure that all of them were fighting ready.

The shot-caller looked to Juice. His boy's breathing had evened out again. Daytime sleeping was easier apparently. Or maybe it was the anxiety of sleeping in a new place, the place where his attack had happened, that caused the difficulty. Tully steadfastly refused to think about how he wasn't curled up against him and how Juice fell asleep quickly and smoothly. His boy was tired, and not worrying himself into sleep-depriving fear. That was all. Tully watched him, sitting sideways on the seat still. He looked so small again. So young. Like he didn't belong tangled up in all this outlaw business.

That was false. No doubt even before this mess, when he was still good with the MC, Juice did the same terrible things that Tully did. He probably didn't even feel conflicted about it. Juice at one point had the heart of a criminal. Someone who would do what needed to be done. Occasionally there was still flashes of that man that the MC recruited.

Tully liked this one much better. The other was the predator that would survive Stockton, but this one Tully just _needed_. The older con would make sure that that part would survive _with_ the predator. Juice sighed in his sleep and the other man realized how much he'd been staring. It made him chuckle to himself as he turned back to his work. Border patrol would require a formal letter. The New Nordics needed an order. The woman who called himself Mina had to be consoled about the boyfriend that dumped her over these letters. And of course she needed to be encouraged to keep writing more, along with sending her her monthly check. So many tasks, but fortunately Tully had all the time in the world. He decided to start with the easiest first. Tully took out his felt tip pen and his legal pad. _Dear Miss Mina, I'm so very sorry to hear of your breakup_....

It was maybe an hour later when Tully was pulled from his writing by a groan from the bunk behind him. He turned to look. Juice was clearly awake, and struggling a bit to sit up. He managed before Tully could interfere. “Hnng.” The boy hissed. “C'n take everything else, but Christ my chest hurts.” Juice took a deep breath, and then another before he got up and headed to the sink. “Long-ass six more weeks.” The boy sighed and filled up his cup for a drink of water.

Tully hummed in sympathy. He was glad for the idle conversation, the pause in his work. Juice was trying to be normal. Fighting his demons in his way. “Did you manage to get Nuke away from the Harley idea?”

Juice nodded as he sat down on the toilet. Just to be able to talk to Tully without shouting across the cell. “Think so. Get the kid a nice used dirt bike, and when he gets good on that, then consider something else. Harleys are for advanced riders.” Juice smiled, clearly proud that he could be considered one.

“Never ridden.” Tully shrugged. Some of the other men he'd run with before prison did. “Like a big truck, personally.”

The boy grinned and eyeballed him. “I'm not surprised, somehow. An old....Ford?”

Tully let himself laugh now. “Good guess, baby.”

“Was either Ford or Chevy. Gotta be American, after all.” Juice bit his lip as he got up again. He reached, but didn't get into Tully's space to grab. “Hand me the second one down?” Tully did and at the same time he leaned and pressed a kiss to Juice's outstretched hand. His boy blushed at Tully's free affections, looking at the same time like he wanted to return them.

He didn't, though. Just moved back to the bed. “This security shit....” He muttered. “Useless, because people are always your weakness.” Juice looked up at him from his place now leaning on the wall.”No matter what you tell 'em they always give out their shit to the first confident person who asks.”

Tully laughed a bit. “Same everywhere, beautiful. Not just computers.” He'd gotten into places with just the strength of his charm.

“Mmhm.” Juice dipped his nose back into the book. “Pays good though. Consulting, looked into it a few years back.”

“Yeah?” Tully had turned back to his own work but Juice knew he was listening.

“Yeah. Tell 'em to install this software or fix this hardware, get paid and then come back next month to clean up the same messes. Because, you know. Most of the time the problems exist between the keyboard and chair.”

“Job security.”

“Exactly.” The squeaking wheel of the library cart made them pause their conversation.

“Gentlemen.” Cornelius looked at the pair. “Welcome back.” Tully smiled at Juice's slight wave. It would be a great time for his boy to ask about those certifications. “Anything to return?”

Tully grabbed the self-help book, sliding it through the bars. “Was very helpful, thank you.” He leaned on the bars, scanning the titles. Tully wanted another poetry book, one he didn't have to feel bad about reading to Juice.

“H-hey, uh...” Juice shifted behind Tully. Probably to lean to be able to talk to Cornelius. “You have...information ...or whatever...on computer certifications?”

He was about to continue, to explain what he meant when Cornelius dug into his cart once more. “A+, CCNA, Security+...? Any in particular you're interested in...uh....'s Juice, rightsir?”

Juice stared at him and Tully snickered. His boy underestimated the old man like everyone else did. His digging had unearthed another book, and it was perfect. Tully gestured to it, and Cornelius handed it to him before making his usual note. Clearly though he was waiting for Juice to actually answer him. “Um. Yeah. And uh...Security...I guess? What I'm lookin' at now.” The man handed Tully another thick book.

“Good start. Let me know when you need help on the practical portions and I c'n get you some extra library time. Anything else?” Tully shook his head for the both of them because Juice was still in a bit of a state of shock.

Again Tully chuckled as he turned to sit next to his boy. This time making sure to not sit on the wrong side. Just in case. “Told you.” He didn't even try to keep the smugness out of his voice. “It's what he does, beautiful.” Juice nodded at him, reaching for the book by leaning into Tully. He kept them out of reach, for a moment. “Did you sleep enough?”

It was hard to ignore the flash of Juice's smile. “Yess...f'r now?” A pause, and Tully could practically see the boy's thoughts before they came out of his mouth. He knew what was coming and yet he still couldn't resist. “Please, Papi?” Tully handed him the book with a little bit of a peck at his forehead. “What'd you get?” Juice settled back against the wall, and Tully followed him.

He showed the smaller book to Juice. “Victorian poets. Perhaps we could find something a little less...depressing?”

That damn smile again. “Thank you.” His boy shifted a little bit, clearly indicating he wanted Tully to hold him once more. Of course, Tully obliged. There they sat, reading their respective books and passing the morning away. Juice was settled very deeply on Tully, but it wasn't uncomfortable so the older man let him stay.

“Up for lunch, beautiful?” Tully nuzzled him gently while he poked his arm with the hand wrapped around him.

Juice startled. He'd fallen asleep against Tully's chest and Tully hadn't even noticed. That let him take one worry off his mind; his baby boy still felt safe against him. “Or would another nap be better?” Tully kind of hoped he wouldn't, but wasn't surprised when he drowsily nodded. “Alright.” Tully stood, helping Juice to lay down again. “Should be back before dinner.” Once again he found himself explaining what was going to happen. It was a habit he was going to have to break. Juice still didn't seem smothered but who knew what might change in the future. He climbed up into his bunk when the boy was settled, grabbing a couple of protein bars which he tossed onto the desk. “Eat if you get hungry.” An order, as he slipped into his public persona. Tully knew his men weren't fooled at this point, but he had to at least keep it up for appearances. And really, it was as much who he was as soft, squishy Papi.

“Mkay.” The boy mumbled from his place beneath him. While he was up there, Tully grabbed his pillow.

“Don't drool too much into it.” Tully tucked it against Juice's back; he'd let the boy arrange it as he wished. Judging by the sigh of relief at the support, he might not at all. Tully stood and watched the boy's chest rise and fall a few times before he turned away to his waiting men.

Lunch was fortunately uneventful. He and Mickey discussed business in more depth than they had at breakfast. It was much easier now, without Juice, to focus on his work but Tully refused to think about that. It made sense, but it didn't matter. The shot-caller could juggle it all. Especially with Mickey working alongside him. Honestly Tully couldn't remember why Daniel had ever been his second. Pearson was still watching him though, and there was still some manner of suspicion in her eyes. Their truce was clearly fragile. Frustrating; did she think he'd forbidden Juice from being here for speaking with her? Actually it was possible. He _might_ have done it before with errant AB members.

Thierry came to his rescue before Tully turned and snapped at her to keep her eyes to herself. “Tully?” He swung his gaze to the Canadian. “Is Juice alright?”

He was jumping on the grenade for all of them, Tully realized. The rest of the men seemed to relax when he asked. Like they'd been waiting for each other to do it. It made him smirk. Juice would be amused to know they cared. He certainly was, and there was a warmth in his chest for the knowledge of it. “Yes. Just tired.” They all nodded, satisfied, and went back to finishing their meals. He worked on his own. They'd missed him passing out in Tully's arms but their physical closeness was just becoming normal for the Brotherhood. Tully didn't know if that was something to be concerned about. If he was honest with himself, he'd expected more push-back. Not just from them, but from others. Maybe this is what becoming an OG was. People just let you do what you wanted. It was starting to sound pretty good.

“Comin' with us, Tully?” Nuke questioned when they were all done. “We got weights again.” Not that Tully ever lifted much. He preferred his lean look, after all. And he still wasn't going to be able to shower for a couple of days. But he had to make an appearance.

“Yeah, I'll watch you boys play.” He smirked and drew a snicker from them. “Who's got a pack of cards?”

Tully did have to admit. Being out here with them was kind of nice. Idle conversations flowed around him as he played a game or two of hearts with Mickey and a couple of others. He kept his ears open as always, listening for snatches of useful information. Even rumors might some day be helpful. Already the knowledge of the arriving inmates was filtering through the prisoners; who was coming in and for what. No men of the MC it sounded. Good. None would be so stupid, or Chibs wasn't stupid enough to allow them.

Speaking of. “Mickey. Get in touch with the Scot.” Tully leaned back lacing his fingers behind his head. “I've got a question. Not Club business, put it that way.” He smirked as Mickey took a minute to think. He knew what that meant, then. “Have him call. Tonight.”

“Yeah, boss.” It would be a quick question, no need for the whole trip. “Bitch is yours.” He snickered now as he passed the queen of spades to Tully. “Like always. Your strategy is shit, Tully.”

“Fuck you.” Tully folded and tossed his cards down. He was much better at other games. Bridge, though they didn't play that much. In euchre he was mean. Vicious, really. They laughed and went back to the game. All the ribbing was honestly good-natured. “Fuckers.” He muttered, watching them switch to three player rummy before getting up and striding to the weight benches. His meatheads were always pushing each other to increase their numbers, and today was no exception.

“Tully, how much you weigh?” Nuke called out as he strained to put the bar back up. “Bet I could bench you.” Finally it clanked and the bigger man got up, switching with Thierry.

The first comment that sprang to Tully's mind was a 'yo mama' joke, but he let it die on his tongue. Nuke loved his family, particularly his mother, as much as he loved his home city. Tully didn't want to get into a fight with the man. “I'm sure. Brother or not, though, I'll kick your ass.” He leaned against the fence posts that separated the weight benches from the rest of the prison. It wasn't really meant to be a deterrent; if someone wanted to start a fight across the yard they could, but it would make rioting and movement more difficult. Give a couple more minutes for the prison to regain control. But they served well for Tully as seating.

“Next week, then.” Nuke already knew that Tully wasn't going to leave Juice after his tattoo and Tully wouldn't work out hard without a shower day close by. “You an' Pit.”

He rose an eyebrow, watching as Thierry lifted. Benching the same weight as Nuke but struggling with it far more than the other man had. “Don't let him kill himself, Nuke. I like him. And you're being awfully optimistic.”

Nuke helped Thierry. “You lift, Pit watches. Come on, Froggy. You gotta do more than two.” Thierry swore back at him and retried. “Til he can lift. Betcha Mickey can source a cheerleading outfit for him.”

The mental image of Juice in a little white and red number dancing, with pompoms, made him snicker even if it was mildly insulting to them both. “I'm going to punish you for that.” Tully growled, but there was also a smile there that he couldn't help. “Do your goddamned job and spot him, Nuke. I need you painting tomorrow.”

“Fine, fine.” Nuke once again pulled the bar up from Thierry's chest before he switched once more. “After breakfast? And three paintings, right? I ain't gonna do the others til we get a better easel.” Just do Juice's arms, and wait until his chest was healed for whatever was left. Good man.

Tully nodded as Nuke started to grunt with the effort of hauling the metal. “I'll make sure the boy gets a good meal. _Real food_ smartass.” Heading off any kind of sex joke, and when Nuke swore Tully knew he'd been about to make one. Seriously, he liked fucking his boy but Tully wasn't that much of a monster. Besides, it was far more fun and pleasurable when Juice was into it. He missed his boy again, as he watched the other men. Not that he was lonely, but at the top here he had to remain apart from them in a certain sense. Be guarded, as much as he could be from these men. But with Juice, he didn't have to be. His boy was lowest of the low and that gave him freedom. Gave it to both of them. Tully could do what he wanted, because Juice meant nothing to the others. Juice could do what he wanted, because Tully meant everything to the others.

Tully was being ridiculous; Juice wasn't exactly far. Just inside the prison. And Tully had a gang to run. He pulled himself off of the fencepost. “Nuke.” Nuke grunted in response to his departure. He meant to go sit back down with the others, but the signal sounded. Finally, they were to return to their cells. Of course Tully had to wait for the rest of his men to circle up around him. Still only the safe way to travel.

Juice was still asleep but the absence of the protein bars told Tully that he'd gotten up at some point during the last couple of hours. His boy's books were scattered around him on his bunk. Nest-like though Tully wasn't sure if Juice had actually read any of them. Carefully he pulled them away so they wouldn't be damaged. It wasn't so that he could cuddle up against his sweet boy. Really.

The movement made Juice mumble. “Was readin' those.” He rolled to his back with a small wince, blinking sleepily up at Tully. Then he rolled once more to the wall; even spending that short of time in a different position strained his ribs. The older man knew that if it was anyone other than him, though, it would have been different. He'd have suffered over giving them his back.

“Oh yes, clearly.” Tully sat down on the small space Juice left him once the books were moved out of the way. Back onto the desk. “Always reading, baby. Even when you're asleep.” He chuckled and stroked Juice's spine, knowing where the bruises were and avoiding them. “Read this much on the outside?”

“Mm.” A soft sound of pleasure with the gentle touches. “Y-yeah. Have a book in my saddlebags. 'Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel.' Magic and fairy contracts and shit.” Juice paused. “Kinda nerdy, but...” He recovered from trailing off, apparently trying on a new outlook. Not putting himself down. Tully was pleased with the progress of it. “I like it.”

“Perhaps we can find it then.” Tully had dug his own book out from the pile before he returned to Juice's side, flipping through it. “Hm. I suppose that would be Victorian.” Juice glanced behind him, looking confused. “'T'was brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe....”

God only knew how he sounded, but Tully had Juice alternatively laughing and whimpering because of the laughter by the end of it. “B-big bad Nazi reading C-Carroll. N-need a s-safeword fo-for you reading poetry, n-now.”

“Banana.” Tully couldn't resist himself and Juice laughed even harder. It was good to see his boy so very happy. He was pretty sure he could find more silly poems; certainly they'd have to be more modern than the Victorian age and therefore not really his cup of tea, but Tully would deal. It was for his boy. Ron Tully, compromising. What a world this was, now.

It seemed like they'd found a new routine. If they were together in their cell, they were physically close to one another, usually reading. Meals were still hit or miss, but Juice was still trying to make most of them and that was good enough for Tully. Juice squirmed again, wincing as he sat upright all the way. It gave the older con more room so he wasn't hanging off of the bunk. “Time is it?”

Tully could see the clock from where he was sitting. “Still have a few more hours til dinner.” Juice sighed deeply and leaned against him. Tully had to put one foot down so he didn't fall. “Why don't you do more of that security book? Or start it, if you haven't?” He waited for Juice to sit straight again. Once he was, Tully got up to grab the workbook and held it out to Juice. The boy took it and adjusted himself so he could better read and, when he found the legal pad under his pillow, take notes. “Want to sit on the desk?” Would certainly be easier than taking complicated notes on his lap.

“Hm? Oh....” His boy looked up and for a moment there were shadows in his eyes. A memory being triggered. “S-still...too sore...” Juice looked down, flushed. “Soft is fine but...An' meals but...” He clearly didn't want to do any work on it. “'M fine.” Hiding himself, and honestly Tully could have been more attentive. Juice hadn't really sat long on any hard surface without the distraction of a meal, or books, or even Tully holding him.

Once more Tully crossed the room and reached out. He tilted Juice's face to look up at him, gentle fingers on his chin. “No shame, beautiful.” Without permission Tully crawled back onto the bed, briefly getting into Juice's personal bubble to bring his own face close. “It's not your fault.” Tully didn't mind repeating himself. The boy had to know, internalize it. A desire, a need came to Tully. His boy's very kissable lips were right there. One more tiny movement and he could plant one on them. Soft and gentle, reassurance of what Tully said; it wasn't his fault. What he hadn't said, too. That he was still Tully's despite how he'd been hurt. Juice's eyes were locked on his, and there was a beat where no one moved. He wasn't sure what his boy wanted.

And so that was why he broke it off first, coming around to rest on Juice's side once more. If Juice wasn't certain, then Tully couldn't push it. He did bring one arm around like he always did. “Now.” The crown of his head was safe, so Tully kissed it instead. “Baby boy. Finish a chapter before dinner.” His boy didn't say anything, just let out a relieved sigh and leaned on him.

Time passed, both silent. “Imma be okay...for tomorrow.” Tully looked down at Juice. “Wherever we gotta sit. An'....paint.”

“Good to know.” He stroked down Juice's arm, barely touching the Reaper before he lifted his fingers. “I'll keep it in mind.” Tully wasn't going to ask if Juice was alright with it. If he was going to be okay. It was a hollow, stupid question that they both knew the answer to. Right now, he seemed to be at peace with it, as much as he could be at peace with it. “Almost done?” Back to the distraction. Dinner was still at least an hour away.

They finally made it even with time crawling, though, and to the cafeteria. Juice even entered into a spirited conversation about baseball, siding with Nuke on the superiority of the Yankees. As usual he started with dessert first, and then the corn dog that was their main meal. He bit into it from the side, clearly not wanting to incite any comments on sucking cock. Mickey got up in the middle of dinner, and disappeared down another hallway.

Mickey tapped him on the shoulder, bending down to where Tully was still seated watching Juice eat and thinking those things that no one was going to comment on. “Phone. MC.” He spoke just above a whisper into Tully's ear, not wanting to bother the rest of the men. “Burner's in number five.”

Tully nodded and stood. Mickey took his place smoothly; they'd done it a hundred times before. He'd stashed it, the Scot still on hold, in a hard to access closet. Hard to access, unless you knew about it. “Be right back, gentlemen.” With a glance around to make sure all the guards were occupied Tully crossed into the hallway, and into the closet in question. The door barely opened, and it was empty save a sink buried in the floor. It was a bit of a squeeze; ten years ago when he'd discovered it he'd still been a coke addict, therefore slightly bigger than a twig and it was much easier. The green glow of the burner was the only thing that illuminated the space, so he was dropped into darkness as soon as he brought it up to his ear. “Tully.”

“Chibs.” The Scot was clipped, and he sounded annoyed. Behind him Tully could make out the sounds of a party, or at least people. Good, he wouldn't likely make a scene.

“Mr. Telford, so nice to speak with you again. Just a quick question, about my boy's ink.” Tully put on that slow drawl again, smirking because even so far away he could feel the other man's seething fury. Just a reminder that Juice was in fact _his._ They were making sure of it right now. “The only Club ink I see is the one on his arm, and on his chest. I quite like the others.” Always frame it in terms purely of what Tully wanted; Chibs still wouldn't allow himself to think that Tully might be acting on Juice's behalf, for his own good.. With the boy's permission. So to speak.

Chibs didn't respond but the background noise died down. “How is he? Really?” Speaking alone, and freely. He must have moved outside. “He jus' go' back, right?”

Tully knew this game. As always, things were never free. He leaned against the wall. “Very...jumpy. But...he wants it done tomorrow.” Give Telford information. Get what he wanted: an official ruling on the tattoos that weren't explicitly Sons. “Tryin' to move on. I'll give you credit, Mr. Telford. That boy is very, very strong.”

There was click and then a long exhale of air at the other end of the line. Chibs having a smoke; Tully wanted one too now that he heard it. “Not to rush you, but I don't have all night.”

“Is 'e there?”

“Not currently. Eating dinner, as I left him.” If Chibs wanted to talk to Juice, he was going to have to wait until Tully brought up the possibility with his boy. Or Juice brought it up to him. “Surrounded by the finest the White race has to offer.” _Perfectly goddamned safe,_ Tully resisted the urge to say.

Chibs snorted and took another puff. “I'm sure.” He exhaled slowly. “'E is strong” That sounded less to Tully than to himself, but Tully made no comment. “...Jus' th' Reaper. An' th' font.”

“Thank you.” No need to be rude. Realistically Chibs could order everything because no matter what they looked like, they could be connected to the MC. No matter how tenuous the connection. That he didn't, Tully was honestly grateful for.

“I'll talk to Happy. Or ge' someone else to.”

He was proud that he didn't grind his jaw too much. “The Mexican Mafia is protecting him, I'll make sure they know you're reaching out.” A grunt was his response. “Keep in touch.” Tully hung up before Chibs could make any more comment. He set the phone back in its hiding hole, and once he determined the coast was clear he slipped out into the artificially bright hallway and once more into the cafeteria. Sitting back down, Juice was the only one to give him a curious look. Tully smirked at him. “Nuke. Just the one painting tomorrow. Not three. And then just another two, when we get that good easel you talked about.”

“You...talked to Chibs?” He'd been quick at figuring things out just by that little line. Juice's voice was barely above a whisper. His hand came up to rub his chest ever so slightly. “I c'n keep the...”

Tully nodded and there was clearly a wave of relief that flooded his boy's face. “Thank you.” He was flush with gratitude and it made Tully want to reach and take his hand like there wasn't an entire cafeteria watching. “Thank you.” Juice repeated before he looked down and away.

“You're welcome.” Tully instead rumbled. He would have asked sooner than the night before, if he'd had known how much those tattoos meant to him. Wouldn't have let Juice suffer and wonder if he was going to lose more parts of himself to the Club. “Finish up. Dinner's about over.” Tully encouraged gently. He wanted Juice to have as many calories in him as possible tonight, just in case breakfast was dodgy tomorrow.

The boy obeyed, cramming the last piece of toast and the last bite of overcooked mac and cheese into his mouth. “Ate it all.” His voice was soft as he fell in beside Tully as was his usual place, but he was proud.

“I see. Good.” Tully could practically see the preen even from behind Juice as they entered their cell. It was short lived, though. Juice was hesitant about the night. The nightmares that would come. He was quiet as he changed into his pajamas, once more hiding himself from Tully. An idea came to the older man as he too got changed. “Mm. Want to do something different.”

“Yeah? What?”

“I want you to read to me.” He smirked, picking up the security one. Tully didn't flop down; the bunks were generally too hard and uncomfortable for that, but he did lay down. “If you studied well you'll be able to explain what all this means to an old, technologically disinclined con like me.” He patted the mattress, wanting to lay his head on Juice's lap for once.

Juice gave him that genuine, wonderfully shy smile. Tully seemed to have picked the perfect distraction; he knew he had. Juice opened up when he was explaining things to people. Explaining passions, like his bikes or his computers. “You ain't old.” He commented as he crawled into the bed after Tully sat up enough for him to do so. “Shit's moved fast in the last twenty years.” Tully leaned back and looked up at him, handing him the book.

“Suck up. But you're right.” He laced his fingers together on his chest as Juice started to read and explain the concepts he was talking about. It was mostly Greek to Tully; he could word process and the internet was something he was familiar on the barest level with but that was about it. But Juice was enthusiastic, and he was a good teacher as he put them in terms Tully might understand. The older man filed that information away. Might be useful in the future. His fingers unlaced themselves and wandered along Juice's skin. Tomorrow tattoo, the next day a nice hot shower for them both. And then after that, who knew? Just more healing, he supposed.

The lights shut out on them abruptly. “Damn. Just getting to the best part.” Juice's voice was a bit teasing, like he knew that Tully's mind had been wandering. “Haveta do more tomorrow.”

Tully chuckled and got up then. “I'll...try sleepin' by myself? Did okay durin' the day.” That voice was small in front of him as he slowly moved downwards clearly into a laying position.

“Alright.” He climbed up into his own bunk, stretching his neck. His boy was surprisingly comfortable and he wasn't as sore as he thought he might be.

“Papi?”

“Mm?”

“Next time Chibs calls...I wanna talk to him...please...?” The request was quiet and small like Juice's voice had remained. Tully could barely hear him.

Tully wanted to ask why, but it wasn't his business if he was honest with himself. It was more than enough that Juice had asked for it. “I suppose. If it's really what you want. _You,_ not what you think they want _.”_ And, it had to be convenient to Tully's plans in that future moment. That didn't need to be said, really. It was just the reality of being part of a gang.

He heard a soft sigh. Not a sad one, just the kind that was content. “Mkay.” More shuffling. “Night, Papi.”

“Night.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

“Are you still sure, Pit?” Nuke leaned over his breakfast looking at Juice. “We ain't have to go painting.”

“Yeah, Nuke. I'm sure.” Juice sounded confident but Tully eyeballed him hard over his carton of orange juice. Did Juice really want to do it? No, but he had to. For himself, not for the Club's rules. He'd told Tully that again this morning, early, before the lights came on. While they were cuddled together like they'd been since the wee hours. They'd started by sleeping apart; Juice in his bunk and Tully in his, but his boy still woke up whimpering and panting. Gasping, really, unable to catch a breath out of panic and pain. Tully moved down after that. It was better for both of them and the rest of the night went without incident. Juice still looked tired, to the point where he'd grabbed a cup of the sludge they called coffee to nurse while he ate. Tully too, was considering it. Maybe he'd pick one up before they left for the day room they'd be tattooing in.

“Your schedule is still good, boss.” Mickey speared a sausage, but stuck it on Juice's tray. He gave a wave when Juice tried to offer an exchange; Tully knew his second in command hated the prison sausages like he himself hated bananas. “No one's looking for you three til at least lunch.” He lowered his voice. “Want that delivered?”

To the cell, he meant. Tully nodded. “Won't take that long.” Nuke bragged, overhearing Mickey's question. “Got some great brushes. And a good canvas.”

Juice blushed, making Tully smirk. They were being so nice to his boy, complimenting him whenever they could. Juice wasn't used to nice and coming from people like the Brotherhood, it was throwing him, still. “An awesome canvas.” Nuke continued and Tully realized he was doing it on purpose, to get him to talk.

“'S not that awesome, but thanks.” Juice realized it too. Smart, and that was why Tully liked him. One of the reasons, putting aside his cute little ass. He actually finished this tray too, as the rest of them went back to their individual conversations. Tully shifted and once again ran one foot against Juice's calf. Of course Juice blushed deeper at the touch, but very lightly returned the movement with a tap on Tully's leg. Calmly Tully hooked Juice's foot, trapping it so he couldn't move it again. Only for a moment, though because otherwise he was going to start laughing into his toast. Especially when he flicked his gaze at Juice, only to see it look rather put-out at what seemed to be an end of their game. Tully released him and poked him again with a toe.

It wasn't too long after they started their game of footsie that breakfast was deemed over and inmates started to head to the various places they needed to be. “Ortiz, Tully, Fleischer. Come with us.” McManus, and two other guards on Tully's take were standing there waiting for them. Clearly their escort. Tully glanced to Juice, and then back to McManus. He had a feeling that either of the other two might stress Juice out too much. Tully moved towards one of them, submitting to the cuffs but watching his boy intently.

His heart ached as Juice tensed once he was up and McManus moved over. Even with a guard he knew as well as that one, he still had so much fear of them. At least male ones. Pearson didn't seem to trigger so bad of a reaction. “Let's go.” McManus growled once they were secure. It was partially an act. He didn't yank Juice around as he might have Tully or Nuke. Just walked with him, leading the small pack of three inmates to the day rooms. They took the long route, but the shorter one was more visible to others and to cameras. Tully, behind McManus and Juice could hear his boy breathing slowly, and an almost gentle mumbling from the guard. Soothing the young man. Whatever he said worked, and they made it to the empty room without incident. Nuke handed McManus the cash once they were in the safety of the day room and uncuffed. Juice immediately moved closer to Tully, still watching the guards warily but trusting that his Papi would take care of him. Tully draped an arm over him; even more reassurance that it was alright.

“See you in a few hours, boys.” Nuke said jovially before they closed the door. Nuke grabbed and shoved a desk, one of those with the writing surface attached, in front of it. It wouldn't stop anyone who really wanted to get in but it would slow them up for a few seconds. “C'mon Pitty.” Nuke passed the pair of them, standing up on a chair. He shifted a ceiling tile, pulling out the box of supplies he stashed there.

Tully gently pressed a hand to Juice's lower back, to guide him away from the door and towards the window where the was the best light. He felt the twitch of his boy's muscles; a restrained startle. He made no more movement like that; just followed Tully to a left-handed desk.

Which Nuke was busy wrapping up in plastic wrap to keep it clean, like any professional would. He took his job seriously. It was a job, and a passion, and this was the thing he spent the most money on for the AB. All of the supplies were the best you could get for prison tattooing and Nuke often talked about smuggling in a real tattoo machine someday. Juice sat down when he was done, resting the arm with the Reaper on it before he shifted to make himself comfortable.

Tully dragged over a chair for himself, dropping heavily into it once he was in reach of Juice's free hand. “So. The way I'll do this, brother.” Nuke held Juice's arm surprisingly gentle. “Fill it in so it's all black and then,” he traced around the tattoo, “do an outline so it breaks up the edges. I'm thinkin' it'll wrap most of the way around but....” He shifted his grip to hold Juice's arm, demonstrating the likelihood of the new outline to go all the way around.

“No one's gonna take another swing at me for it.” Juice finished softly. Tully hid his frown but crossed his legs and folded his arms. Considered calling it off; there was something very strange about how he spoke of it. “Won't look like a Reaper anymore.” How he was looking at it, brushing his fingers along it. With pain, and nostalgia, and worry.

Nuke asked what Tully was thinking. “Are you su-”

“If either of you ask that again I'll kick both your asses.” Juice snapped fiercely, looking at Tully and then Nuke. He set his arm down again from where he'd lifted it while he gazed. “Just do it.” Juice took an inward breath, letting it out slowly. Then it seemed to hit him how he'd just spoken and his eyes went huge with fear. “Sh-sh- I'm--”

Nuke let out a booming laugh first and then Tully couldn't conceal his smile anymore. Rude? Extraordinarily so and anyone else might have been punished heavily. But the outburst meant his boy still had a backbone buried under the terror. “Damn, Pit. Next thing you know you'll be shootin' for Tully's spot if you keep that attitude.” The big man patted his arm roughly, reaching to wipe Juice's skin with rubbing alcohol. Goosebumps immediately appeared with the cool of it.

Tully hummed. The boy was still wide-eyed and went a little pale with Nuke's comment. “He'll stop getting laid if he does that. And he'd have to make all the decisions that keeps you honkey motherfuckers from turning this place into a zoo.”

“How terrible a life you lead, Tully, bein' a boss.” Nuke's sarcasm and Tully's own made Juice relax again, and smile a little. “Pit, anythin' he wants, he gets and the rest of us 'honkey motherfuckers' do all the work for him.” Nuke sighed deeply as he finished setting up. He slipped on the latex gloves last. Aside from the machine being cobbled together from batteries, ballpoint pens, and a needle, and the ink being from the pens it looked like it could have been a real studio. The man turned it on; the buzz was a little loud but not so bad that they couldn't still talk. Juice shifted a bit to sit in a more comfortable position. Stretched out much like Tully was. “Man, look at him now, Pitty. Just loungin' there like he owns this place.” Before Juice did Nuke leaned in and took the skin of his arm, pressing it taut. Going ahead as Juice wanted, but giving him a heads up to look away if he wanted.

Smart of Nuke; Juice did look away. Giving Tully a slight smile. “He c'n keep--” A soft hiss as needle touched skin, “C'n keep the paperwork.”

“Good point. Boring shit.” Tully could see Nuke start on the crystal ball in the center of the tattoo. He'd radiate outward, covering as much as he could in as short a time as possible. If he couldn't smudge the outline of the Reaper, blacking it out entirely was the priority.

“'Boring shit' paperwork that keeps both you boys paid.” Tully let himself drawl as he gave them a pointed look. They both, especially Nuke, knew how far they could take the smart-mouthing. Tully _was_ still the boss, even here with just the two of them.

Juice nodded, his jaw working but he didn't move otherwise. That crazy pain tolerance, again. Tully wanted to distract him though. “Worst ink, go.”

His boy took another deep breath; Nuke had moved from the crystal ball to work on the Reaper's robe, which meant a lot of lifting and pressing to get all of the folds of the cloak filled in. Of course there were many of those. A gang's symbol had to look cool, and part of that was a certain realism. “Scalp. Felt like a hot knife against my skull. Hadda headache for two days after, an' all to look like a badass.” Juice laughed with only a little bitterness in it. “You?”

He uncrossed his arms, turning them to face palms-up and revealing the elaborate double tattoo of a mass of black tentacles with a green eye in the center. “Healing the inside of your elbows in prison was not one of my more intelligent ideas, though I got it done before I went in.” Tully shook his head. It was a long few weeks for him; he still remembered it so much later.

“Didn't stop squirming when I did your chest.” Nuke muttered as he paused to wipe Juice's arm with a paper towel and put more ink on the needle.

Juice bit his lip to keep from snickering and Tully huffed. “You get inked on straight bone, then you fuckin' talk to me.” Though the coke he'd been on at the time probably didn't exactly help with the jitters. He was glad he'd more or less kicked that habit. More or less. Special occasions didn't count; that reminded him he'd have to find out when Juice's birthday was. “You haven't answered. Actually, I _know_ what your worst is, Nuke.”

“My ex-wife's name.” The bigger man growled, and hunched over Juice's arm.

Tully could see that Juice was a little tense, but he couldn't help but poke more at Nuke. It was just in his nature; Tully wasn't actually a nice person. “Which is tattooed quite prominently over his dick.” He smirked and once more leaned back in his chair, gesturing to his own groin. “Right on the pubic bone so any gash that he fucks has to see it.”

“Including _your_ ex-wife, Tully.” Nuke finally snapped back, looking up and sitting up. “She called, by the way--” He was pushed, and went straight for the jugular. Any other sort of comment Tully would have laughed off, but she was a sore spot and Nuke knew it.

Tully was about to respond when Juice made a small noise. He was literally in between them, unable to escape and that was scaring him. Tully could almost see how he fought with himself to stay in the moment; the knuckles on his free hand were white with how he gripped the chair. The shot-caller frowned and glared at Nuke; they'd settle their shit later. Thankfully Nuke got the hint, going back to his shading and lapsing into silence as he did so. Tully made a note to himself; his muscle needed a chance to crack some skulls. Take his aggression out before it turned any further onto his brothers. And Tully needed to not pick at him before he had a chance to do that. “Relax, Pit.” Nuke ordered, though with as gentle a voice as he could muster considering his anger. “I ain't gonna hurt him, I saw what happened to the last guy who tried.”

He only started again when Juice gave him a weak smile and unclenched the fist he'd made without seeming to realize it. His boy didn't really relax until Tully reached over and gently stroked the back of his free hand. Only a few times; not enough to make Nuke make another comment. “S-so...you guys like guns?”

“We like guns.” Nuke wiped again, going back to the crystal ball now that he'd given the skin there a break. “Especially exxpennsive ones.” The drawing out of the consonants made Tully snicker. Nuke could do a fairly accurate southern accent when he wanted to try.

“They're always expensive.” Tully pointed out, lacing his fingers together now that Juice had calmed down. “Fun though.” He thought a moment. “Last one I fired...was an AK, I think.”

Another soft hiss. “Th-the Russian lady. I liked handguns better.”

“Hood rat.” Nuke chuckled, gently teasing. “A good old fashioned ball peen hammer for me.”

Juice actually looked over at him, though Tully noted that he didn't actually look at what the other man was doing. “Uh, Nuke...?”

“Nah, hear me out Pitbull.” Tully listened too, curious. Nuke sometimes had some interesting ideas about weaponry. “With a Russian lady, or a nine mil or whatever it's obvious you're carrying a weapon. Even a knife, right? But a hammer? A hammer's just a tool, you can carry that openly or concealed. And it's easier than a gun or a knife, you c'n hand it to your drunk mate or your girlfriend and she can smash a guy's skull in still without having to teach 'em how to use it. Or you can, whatever.” Nuke looked back, eyeballing the ball. It was mostly filled in; a black cloaked skeleton now held a black orb. Nuke worked to finish it, to move on to the gun-scythe and the skeleton itself.

“You'll still get hit with an assault with a deadly weapon charge.” Tully pointed out, sitting forward once more to lean his elbows on his knees. More comfortable this way; he couldn't believe he'd forgotten the coffee he wanted to get. Pity. “If you were to get caught in the middle of killin' your target.”

Nuke rumbled but Juice spoke as he looked away, clearly thinking of the scenario. “But you can _get_ to your target easier. Say you get pulled over for speedin'. Got a gun in the back seat and the pig spots it? You got trouble. But a hammer? You just get the ticket for leadfoot and you're on your way.” Juice shrugged a bit, casually. “'S a good idea, Nuke.”

He didn't make any comment about remembering it for when he got out. Tully wasn't sure, though, if it was because he still expected to die here, or because he was just thinking in the moment. The former wasn't the behavior Tully wanted; the latter was. “Not that I personally would recommend speeding.” The shot-caller let himself sigh.

Juice looked back over at Tully as Nuke started snickering. “Time you know, baby boy.” It was a hell of an act to keep from smirking himself, but Tully managed to keep a straight face. “Go ahead. Ask me what I'm in for.”

“W-what're you in.... for?” The young man was eyeballing him warily. It was just not a conversation you had in general, no matter if you were given the okay to ask. But it would have been equally rude to turn down a high ranking prisoner such as Tully. Really Juice wasn't in a good position no matter what, but he trusted Tully. Perhaps the older man just needed to reassure himself of that. During this period of time he couldn't hold the boy down and choke him while they got off, in that ultimate show of trust. Or Tully was just not a very nice person. Harmless teasing though it was, it was still teasing his sweet boy.

“Speeding.” Of course there was quite a bit more to it, but he was always amused by the irony that the beginning of the end, for him, had been because he'd been going 35 in a 20 mile an hour school zone.

For a moment Juice stared at him, and then flashed a grin. “Yeah? Me too.” Just like for Tully, it likely wasn't the only charge. Just one they threw in to make a prison sentence stick.

“I don't know why you boys are talkin' 'bout this. Me, I'm innocent.” Nuke now moved his tattoo machine low, to start at the stock of the gun-scythe. “I got set up by the state.”

Honestly never admitting guilt was how most guys functioned around here. Even if they plead guilty there was always some kind of circumstance as to why. It was never because they committed the crime; it was keeping the DA off of their back or off of their gang's back, or they were the fall guy for something bigger. Truly admitting your guilt even for regular crimes made people wonder if you were a little bit unhinged. Heinous ones had people sure of it and usually meant assassination attempts. Tully was glad he didn't have that kind of complication regarding any of his men. Their crimes were all ordinary, at least as far as he could glean. Even Tully hadn't outright asked any of them. “Earth to Tully, come in boss. You too, Pit.”

He'd lost himself in his thoughts, and apparently so had Juice at the same time. “Goddamn, that was creepy.” Nuke growled as he slowly crept up the rifle's stock, running his needle over the light brown skin and then wiping to make sure it took. “Egghead boss and his egghead boy.” Another pass and Juice chewed his lip with the pain now that he was back to himself.

“You should try it, Nuke. It's called thinking.” Tully leaned forward again to touch his boy. Stroke his arm; get him to smile again. Which he did, even though he was clearly starting to ache all over. The shot-caller was honestly glad that his muscle was doing this. He was quick, even if he had to have chatter the entire time he was working. Tully had forgotten that; the coke made him a talker so enduring the last time he'd gotten ink from Nuke had been easy.

“Didn't you just tell him a coupla weeks ago you didn't hire him for his brains?” Juice once again gave him a smile. That mischievous one that Tully adored because it was just so very Juice. Teasing Tully back, even with a delay.

“Yeah, he did, didn't he?”

“Now who's side are you on, baby boy?” Tully rose an eyebrow though he didn't withdraw his fingers. Playing along with the man.

Juice held his ground even with the reminder of his place in the nickname. “Yours... 'less he lets me listen to _The Great Food Truck Race_ because you don't own a tv.” More grinning now. “Then I might reconsider.”

“You like that reality shit, Pitbull?” Nuke shook his head. “You'll haveta keep Tully happy, I'm sorry brother. Can't stand that crap.”

Juice blushed, deeply this time. Tully didn't have to say he kept him happy; everyone here knew that he did. Tully's hand still hadn't moved from its place on Juice except to trace light patterns along the top of his arm. Tully couldn't help himself; and he didn't have to. Juice was happy for the contact. “Less...like it...more...nothin' else on so I got sucked in.” Juice twisted his free hand, seeking out Tully's now. The shot-caller was confused for a moment, and then he realized what he was doing. He held his boy's hand as Juice finally looked down to see exactly where Nuke was. To see how much had been blacked out already and how much he had to go. Tully gave boy's hand a light squeeze while Juice looked at the half-finished tattoo. “Damn, you're quick.” He murmured before he looked away with a shaky breath. Tully adjusted his grip to be able to tangle his fingers in Juice's now.

“Just what I do, brother.” Nuke was ignoring what they were doing with their hands, a fact that Tully was grateful for. He wasn't going to get into a snit now about it; too busy making sure Juice was doing okay.

“'S alright to keep callin' me that?” Juice's voice was quiet, and he flicked his gaze to his Papi once more.

Nuke grunted again. “Bother you?”

Juice would have shrugged if he could, and his grip tightened in Tully's. “Means a specific thing...with th' MC.” Tully decided that after this little conversation ended, they could use a little break. Get up, move around.

“Does here too.” A pause as Nuke eyeballed how their fingers were. “Faggot and Puerto Rican shit aside, you're a good guy. I ain't gonna be puttin' any clovers on you anytime soon but you got the heart for the Brand. I can call you what I want.”

“'Cept late for dinner....Thanks, Nuke.” The gratitude was heartfelt. Juice wiggled his hand out of Tully's. Maybe out of embarrassment, maybe something else. “Mind if we pause a sec?” The grin was sheepish now as he looked down. Not at his arm though. “My back's killin' me.” Nuke nodded, and was clearly about to make comment about working out when Juice shook his head slightly. His boy was starting to understand the men he was with. Anticipate their comments. Tully stood and stretched himself, his prison top riding up a bit as he did. He tugged it down but Juice had glanced at it with a bit of a smile. “I know. I'll lift with you guys when I can.” Juice sat up straight, shaking the hand that Nuke had been working on some to wake it up.

Nuke frowned. “Long as you aren't looking at me like that.” He was growling a bit, but at the same time he gently put a paper towel on Juice's tattoo. It didn't look like he was bleeding that much, but they didn't want any evidence.

Before Juice could apologize, Tully intervened. “He won't.” He reached out to Juice so he could help the boy out of the seat, bracing and letting Juice do most of the work like they'd been doing before. Once Juice was all the way upright, Tully let him go, letting him work out all the kinks with a slow little wander around the day room. “Lay off.” Tully growled low once Juice was away from them. His boy wasn't threatening Nuke's heterosexuality, wasn't going to hit on the other man. They both knew that. He should tell his muscle about the possible Chinese influx; give him a job to do. He'd appreciate the opportunity to remind the chinks just who was in charge in Stockton. Tully kept his hard stare on while he thought. Once Nuke put his hands up in surrender, the older man walked away to get back over to Juice. “ _My_ pretty Puerto Rican doin' alright?” He slung his arm gently over Juice's shoulders.

“Yeah. Jus' sore.” Juice briefly leaned into him and then straightened. He was cradling the arm. “He's rough.” Idle conversation, Tully could see that Juice was far more focused on the work that had been done. “But it ain't a blowtorch.” He shuddered, then sighed. “I wasn' there but Hob--”

“Shh. Not now.” Tully didn't want Juice to stress himself out. “Get this finished.” That was an order, and he gave a squeeze to make sure that it was final. “We'll do whatever you like, after.” Tully released him, then stepped away so they could both make their way back to where Nuke was waiting.

“You spoil me.” Juice mumbled as he followed, rolling his shoulders as he did so. He sat back down, making sure his arm was in the same exact spot he'd had it in before. “Sorry, Nuke.” Tully rolled his eyes as he sat down too. Of course Juice would still apologize.

Another grunt from the man, as he leaned forward and cleaned up Juice's arm again. “We're cool, Pit.” He smirked as he turned on the machine again. “Think I'm just wound up too tight.”

Juice squeezed his eyes shut, but he smiled through the pain. Tully could see he was taking it in and burying it; this wasn't going to make the afternoon and evening particularly smooth but they would get through it. Then tomorrow a nice, peaceful shower for the both of them; Tully was looking forward to it. He was starting to feel grimy. “C-could skip dinner.”

Now Nuke laughed. “I feel like I'm missin' something.” Tully rose an eyebrow looking between the pair of them. “You know I don't like missin' anything that goes on in my prison.”

“Just offerin' a bit of wisdom back to me, boss.” Nuke kept chuckling as he started to crawl up the barrel of the tattoo. “Keep your pants on, please. Pitbull, boxers or briefs?” Nuke came up with the most ridiculous topics of conversation when left to his own devices. Tully just shook his head and was about to say that Juice didn't have to answer if he didn't want to.

“Neither.” His boy smirked. “Boxer-briefs.” He clarified. “Especially on a long ride. Keeps the boys together without getting too hot.” Juice laughed again, glancing to Nuke. “Tell your brother, as my secret: Shave your junk.” Nuke just stared at him, though he managed to not leave the needle in Juice's skin. “Look it _ain't_ gay, girls like it and it means you aren't getting swamp-ass too.” Juice shook his head and looked back to Tully. “Please tell me you get it because no one else does.”

The look in Juice's eyes was just so desperate for confirmation that Tully couldn't help but snicker. He was deeply pleased though, that Juice was recovering from his upsets quicker and quicker every time they occurred. “I get it. Waxing lasts longer, though. Don't give me that look, Nuke.” Not like Tully had much body hair to begin with but he shaved that shit off whenever he got a chance. It wasn't often, and cost him, but it was wonderful when he could. Juice was biting his lip ever so slightly, clearly thinking about what was under Tully's prison uniform. Maybe Tully would let him into the shower with him, if the boy wanted. Let the boy actually see what he'd been snuggling up against late at night, because he'd never actually shown Juice the entirety of his body. He'd seen more of Juice. Tully would have to see how his boy felt in the morning. How breakfast and lunch went, too.

“Revealin' all kinds of things, aren't you boss?” Nuke was engrossed in what he was doing, making sure all the fiddly bits of the rifle were covered up. Almost as difficult as the cloak, if Tully judged right.

Nothing that the other AB didn't know about him, at any rate. Juice was the only one not in the know. Normally those Tully protected didn't warrant knowing such things but of course his boy was different. On the other hand, they didn't have to have this conversation with any witnesses and Tully was a private person on some things. Like the subject of his ex-wife which he just knew Juice was dying to ask more questions about. Tully redirected the men's attention with another stupid question. “Film about our lives as cons or outlaws that you actually like.”

Juice ran his free hand along his scalp, thinking a moment. “ _Easy Rider_ , an' _Shawshank Redemption_.” Tully nodded approvingly. He'd heard Shawshank was good; he'd just missed it going in. Of course his motorcycle-riding baby boy would like Easy Rider and it was a classic. “C'n I say anything good about _American History X_?” Juice looked at him sheepishly.

In all honesty it was another one that Tully had missed but he had heard every line of it, along with every criticism and praise. It was one of those that was really quite dividing among the AB as a whole. Some liked it, some hated it. “It's terrible, unrealistic shit.” Nuke was one of those who hated it. “Don't know how Mickey likes it.”

“And that is why we don't bring it up at the dinner table.” Tully made his tone pointed. That Nuke didn't need to rant and rave here, either and he gave Juice a heads-up on another, not-obvious rule. “Now. _Cool Hand Luke._ ” In the worst of times, especially early on, Paul Newman's character was a bit of an inspiration on how not to break. In later years it became a cautionary tale. The book, too, was a favorite and Tully's name was on Cornelius' list for that one over and over.

Nuke had finally finished the stock and barrel of the gun, and was now starting on the scythe. Juice was still steadfastly not looking at his work. “Paul Newman, tough guy. Old movies are great, pretty much the only thing they show on those movie nights they sometimes have here. Watched one one time, about this Irish guy who starved himself. Almost caused a riot.” Nuke laughed.

“It _actually_ was part of a war.” Juice corrected quietly and Nuke stopped laughing. “Bobby Sands. Died to get himself and his fellow prisoners treated like the prisoners of war they were.” His boy half shrugged in the only way he could while Nuke worked. “Real nice guy, I guess. Had a lot of dedication to the cause. C'n see why everyone rioted, it's pretty inspirational. Got elected to Parliament before he died.”

Always his boy seemed to impress him. Apparently not just content to accept that their gun pipeline had been from the IRA, Juice had done background research to learn more. Perhaps just for his own pleasure. “Rode to his grave with a couple of the SAMBEL guys when we were there. Was interesting.” Another shrug and then a bit of a smile. “Kinda scary, we had to skirt these protestors. And the counter protestors. And the bobbies. Hard to do when you're three leathered up dudes on Harleys.” Juice stared about six inches in front of him, losing himself in a memory.

Tully couldn't let that go on too long, though. Slipping into the memory was just the beginning. Thinking of happier times, times he was proud to wear the ink that Nuke was erasing. He reached and squeezed Juice's fingers again, and the boy startled. Somehow still he kept his arm from moving. “Sorry. Anyway. Nuke ya never answered the actual question.” Tully didn't let go yet, just watched Juice. Kept his eyes on the boy who was so desperately trying to keep himself grounded while they were out of the cell. Until he could safely fall apart, his boy was going to fight, not show how hurt he was.

“Oh, right.” Nuke hummed along with the machine for a moment. “I liked Shawshank, but you know my favorite? _Con Air._ ”

Tully let out a snicker at the look on Juice's face. It was utter disbelief and disgust mixed together. “Th' Nic Cage flick? With the dude in the dress?” Juice shook his head. “ _Really?”_

He winced as Nuke found a spot that he'd missed on the cloak. “Don't disparage the Nicholas Cage.”

Juice held his free hand up, which Tully was still holding. “Alright, alright. Nic Cage, another thing to not bring to the dinner table, I got it. Though did you see _The Sorcerer's Apprentice_?”

“Shit yeah, that was great! The song bit with the lightning is still the coolest thing I've seen in a movie! That little nerdy dude is in everything Disney now.” Nuke sat back, eyeballing his work. “Maybe another 15 minutes. Before I do the outline bit I was talking about. If you still wanna do that.”

“I--” Juice looked to Tully. The older con looked deep into those bright brown eyes and in them he could tell that Juice was at his limit. His baby boy hid his pain so well from the other con but Tully could see it plain as day. Tully squeezed his hand again, silently giving him permission. Not to give up, but to allow himself to heal some more. Tully could reiterate that some more when they were alone in the cell. In no way was he upset with him; as usual the shot-caller was impressed by how much Juice endured. Now it was time for him to relax, to let Tully take care of him.

Juice must have seen it all in Tully's face because he sighed and dropped his head back to look at the ceiling. “I-I don't think it's gonna happen today, brother. 'M exhausted.” A pause, like he was going to apologize _yet again_ for that and maybe even responding to Nuke with the name he'd been getting called.

“Just make sure it's done all the way, Nuke.” It wasn't for Nuke's benefit, but Juice's. So that he didn't have to say it. Tully glanced up at the clock, which Nuke had made sure was behind them. They still had an hour to kill before anyone would come looking for them. “Take the time for it to be right.” He still hadn't let go of Juice's hand.

Nuke grunted. “You got it boss.” He lapsed into silence now, finishing up the last of the scythe as he did so. Concentrating to make sure that he did what he was ordered to instead of joking around with the pair of them. Easiest to get him to do it now than it would have been two hours ago. Tully took his attention from Nuke and redirected it to Juice. His boy hadn't moved, staring up at the ceiling. He didn't have that air about him that he was letting his thoughts wander too deeply. Tully tested it, giving Juice a little squeeze. The movement in return was almost immediate; proof that his boy was still with them.

They sat in quiet like that until Nuke finally shut off the machine. He wiped one more time with a gentle touch and Tully could see that he'd blacked out the tattoo entirely. It was one black blob with no features tying it to the Sons of Anarchy. At worst someone would guess it had once been a grim reaper tattoo, but that was all. “All done, Pit.” Nuke leaned back. He wasn't going to ask what Juice thought, though. Merely wiped it now with a very thin layer of Vaseline to keep it moist.

“Looks good.” Juice's voice was very soft as he surprised them both by lifting his arm to look at the shiny patch on his skin. He didn't touch, just stared at it. “Thank you.” He waited until Nuke cleaned the arm of the desk before he let it settle again. He looked to Tully once more. “How long 'til we go back?” It was clear that he desperately needed closeness, or something more that he just couldn't get here while the other man was with them. At least in the cell they got some kind of privacy.

Tully considered to the sounds of Nuke putting away the supplies this time in a different tile. “Half an hour.” Nuke really did take the time. His hands, scarred and tattooed climbed up Juice's to lightly trace the black and grey skeleton there. Tully's heart skipped a beat with Juice's slow, shaky breath, and then the next. He hadn't breathed deeply nearly enough; Tully would have to remind him to work on it more. He filed it away in his mind. Tully's duty right now was to keep the boy from crashing too hard. Or rather, when he did, to be the thing he crashed into. The safety net. He was more than pleased to be that, for Juice.

“Nah, you guys sit tight. I'll go hunt down our escort t'come up early..” Nuke dropped down from the chair with a _whump_ that made Juice jump. “Sorry, brother.” Casual apology for scaring the boy. He was starting to pick up on the need for it. “I'll be careful.” He chimed before Tully could comment on the chances of him getting caught out alone.. “An' even if I don't make it back, McManus is coming anyway.” His man was good. Set up for this exact possibility; that he'd need to leave them and that the guards would still come to the day room. More, he was leaving them for real privacy, something they hadn't had since Juice moved in with him so many weeks ago. Tully had to remember to give Nuke a hell of a thank-you gift. Not just for that but for taking such good care of his boy's flesh. Tully waved Nuke out and watched the other man as he peeked his head out of the door before disappearing.

“Papi?” His voice was even shakier than his breathing had hinted at. Tully leaned back into the chair he was sitting on. Opening up his body so that Juice knew he was listening to whatever his boy needed to say. He lifted his hand, about to give his sweet boy an order, no permission, to come over.

It turned out that he didn't need it. Almost as soon as he had given room Juice crawled onto his lap. Tully didn't stop the movement of his long arms, curling around his boy as he straddled him though it couldn't have been a comfortable way of holding himself. Like he had before his baby boy reached and wrapped his own arms around Tully, mostly his neck as he buried his face against the older con's shoulder. He didn't need to remind Juice to go easy on his new ink, he could feel Juice readjusting his grip as he shuddered. “Shhh, you're alright.” His baby boy was running almost hot out of stress of it all being dumped from his heart to his mind. “I'm so proud of you.” Tully stroked Juice's back, ever so softly as he whispered into his ear. “My beautiful baby boy. You were so good, baby.”

Tully's heart clenched with the sniffle that Juice gave in response. And then the huff as he tried to quiet a rising sob. “Shhh, it's okay. Papi's here, I've got you.” Tully continued his gentle pets, reaching up to get his scalp. Juice was so tense against him. “Let it out, Juice.” He had a feeling it wouldn't be the only time today, but the first was always the toughest and Tully knew the best time would be now. While they were alone. “It's safe, beautiful. You're safe.”

Promises broke the dam. Juice was an ugly, though quiet, crier. Tully had to shift his head a little bit to get his hair out of Juice's face and it was definitely tear-soaked. “S-so-sorry.” Juice hiccuped with Tully's movement and then winced with his own. “'M sorry.” And then he went right back to sobbing softly. The older con gently kissed his temple again, silent assurance that it was alright. This was a grown man, pushed into grieving all too soon for something that he had expected to have for the remainder of his life, but he held onto Tully like a child might. It just showed how vulnerable his emotions were, and what he needed from Tully was to be the rock. The Club might have abandoned him, but the shot-caller would not. Finally the sobs petered off into whimpers and then silence. None of it took long and all Juice did now was sniffle.

“Hush.” Tully stroked his scalp once more and then shifted so that Juice would properly look at him. He dragged his thumbs lightly along his boy's perfect, high cheekbones to swipe away the tear tracks while he gently cupped Juice's jaw. “Nothing to be sorry for, beautiful.” The boy hiccuped again and Tully felt the clench under his fingers. “No shame.” He glanced to the clock. “Though we're going to have to leave here soon, baby boy.” Tully honestly didn't want to. He wanted to let his boy cry on his shoulder as long as he needed here in this place of solitude, until Juice could leave with his head held high.

Juice sniffled and nodded a little bit. Tried to smile, clearly for Tully's benefit because Tully could still see in those red-rimmed eyes how hollow his boy felt. And the man knew it was only going to get worse for his boy; and the only thing he could do was be there for him. “Such a beautiful sweet boy.” Tully smiled up at him and then pulled him close into the tightest hug he felt he could manage. “You're so very good, Juice.” Another sniffle with the praise. It didn't seem like he was bothered for the moment by the pain he must be feeling. “We'll sit together again in a bit, baby boy.” Tully petted Juice's head one more time before he released him fully. Juice took the hint and crawled off of his Papi's lap, standing up. Give them both a moment to arrange themselves so they didn't look like they'd been doing what they'd been doing. It occurred to Tully as he ran his hands through his hair that he hadn't told Juice about tomorrow.

“An' eat?” Juice looked up at him, eyes lidded. “Hungry. Ink always makes me hungry.”

Tully hummed. “Mmhm. Mickey's getting our lunch delivered to us.” He tilted his head slightly as he listened around his always-ringing ears. The man was pretty sure he could hear McManus' voice. “Dinner too, if you like.” He gave a little gesture once he was certain it was their escort. “Just have to let me know.”

The con couldn't say more because there was a knock. Tully caught Juice hiding his arm, though it wasn't necessary for now. After a moment McManus and another guard entered. Again, Tully moved to the other one while McManus handled Juice.

Which was surprisingly gentle still, not yanking or moving too quickly behind him. He even warned Juice of his actions before he did them; usually guards refrained to keep from giving inmates a chance to prepare their reaction. Tully would have to ask his boy about their interactions in the hospital. Of course he'd assumed they'd been positive, Juice mentioned him by first name after all. But this seemed to be another level of closeness.

They took the same route back to their cell. The long way around, and they returned without incident. Tully had to roll his shoulders a bit as he entered behind Juice. The doors slammed shut behind them and the guards left. He was getting just a little inflexible for behind-the-back cuffing. He'd avoid a visit to the prison doc as much as he could, so Tully made a mental note to ask Nuke about incorporating more stretching into their routine. On the other hand, if the shot-caller did go see the doctor, he might be able to get that particular restraint ruled out in favor of always having his hands in front. Why Tully hadn't considered it, he wasn't sure. Suddenly the man realized that Juice hadn't advanced to his bed in front of him, and Tully turned around.

Juice was hanging off of the bars, searching the cells across from them. “Sweet boy?” Tully moved to stand next to him. “What's wrong?”

“Making sure Nuke made it b-back.” Juice sighed, deeply as he looked down. He was flushed from embarrassment. “He's probably fine I know but I can't shake th' feeling.... 'S nothing, I know.”

Tully lightly petted the back of Juice's neck while his boy trailed off. The stammer which seemed to disappear while they were alone had come back as well. Tully was a little shocked at how quick his anxiety had returned and he made another mental note to see if there was anything to be done. “I get it, beautiful.” And he did. The last time a guard had taken any of them off by themselves it had been Juice, and he'd ended up in the hospital. His boy cared deeply for these men, didn't want the worst to happen to them like it had him. “If I know him he went to lunch after he found McManus.” Their own lunch was coming down the corridor, delivered like Mickey had promised. “Go sit, baby. I'll ask.”

Juice was clearly reluctant to do so, but he did anyway with the encouragement that Tully gave him. Slowly he pulled his knees up to his chest, settling on the bed.. Tully kept his gaze on the boy instead of looking at the lunch cart. Worry and sadness was crossing his features as he stared once more at the ink. Tully would have sighed himself but he didn't, not wanting to upset Juice further. See how his boy was after he ate, after Tully shared his good news.

It was the same bored guard as the other day, but to Tully's surprise Mickey handed him their trays. Tully rose an eyebrow. “Last minute substitution.” Mickey said cryptically.

“Ah.” He wasn't going to ask, he decided, or think further on it. It didn't matter. Tully set the trays on their desk, and then pulled off his standard-issue top. He was warm, and it was a bit snot-covered. Being in just the tank top was better, though he could feel Juice's eyes looking at the tattoos on his arms and what was visible peeking out from the top of his collar. “Nuke make it to lunch? We were still washing brushes when he left.”

Mickey nodded, flicking his eyes toward Juice. He had the briefest moment of concern in them, but it was gone when Tully blinked. “Yeah, eating like a horse last I saw. What an ass, leaving you to clean up.”

Tully waved it off. “I know how he gets when he doesn't eat.”Mickey snickered; Nuke could be a diva when he was hungry. The guard coughed for him to move on. “Thanks.” Tully watched his second trod off before he turned away. He grabbed the trays and sat down next to his boy. “Safe and sound.” Tully gently reassured Juice to get him to smile, and when the boy did for one brief moment he slid the tray over.

“Thank you.” Juice took it with a soft sigh. As usual it was crap but Tully didn't pay too much attention. “Got an extra cookie.” Another flash of a grin.

It must have been part of the substitution that Mickey had eluded to. “He's a good guy.” Tully muttered, a little jealous at the same time he was grateful. For the smart-mouthed “housewife” names, Mickey treated Juice well. As well as he did any of the other men that sat at their table at any rate.

They ate in silence for a little bit, Juice shifting slightly so that he could bump legs with Tully. Finally, in between bites of cornbread Juice spoke. “Never goes away.”

“What doesn't?” Tully glanced at his boy, He shifted his tray slightly, just enough that Tully could rest his hand directly on Juice.

“The--” Juice stirred his stew once, and then continued. “The worry. It never. It never shuts up, even when I don't have anything to worry _about._ I mean.” A shadow of a smile, that self-deprecating one that Tully was beginning to dislike because it meant that Juice was really putting himself down even as he used it to keep himself safe. “I _know_ Nuke was fine, but I just couldn't stop thinking... and thinking...” His boy swallowed dryly and then took another bite of the cornbread before a sniffle escaped. “I hate it.”

Tully turned a little and leaned in, pressing his lips to Juice's temple. He didn't say anything yet, just thought and let the boy be calmed by his proximity. He'd promised they would sit close, after all. “'S quieter when we.... when we're like this.” Juice said very softly now. “When you take care of me.” He warmed under Tully's lips. “Stays that way for a little while after. Always comes back though.” Another sigh and he set his fork down, clearly done with it despite the fact it was only half-eaten. “S-sorry.”

“Shh. If it's quieter when I take care of you--” Tully picked up the fork, spearing a piece of soft carrot out of the stew bowl and holding it to Juice's lips. “--Then let me take care of you, beautiful.” Tully hummed in pleasure when Juice pulled the carrot off the fork and then took it for himself. “Good boy.” The shot-caller remained pressed as close as he was for a moment longer before he settled back to finish his own meal. One-handed, of course; Tully kept his fingers lightly brushing his boy.

Each time Juice put his fork down Tully set his own on his tray to pick Juice's up. Coax him into eating just one more bite in the most direct way possible. Finally Juice just shook his head instead of taking what was in front of him. It was good enough for Tully, and he got up to set the trays on the desk. He sat back down, considering for a moment sitting just a tiny bit further away to see if Juice would follow him but he discarded the thought. It wasn't the right day to be experimenting. Tully lightly wrapped his arm around Juice's shoulders but didn't need any more encouragement to get him to rest against his chest. “There you go. Baby boy, safe and full.” It was half a babble, but Tully didn't mind doing it to get the boy's tension to ease under his fingers.

His gentleness made an effect that was almost immediate. Juice sniffled softly like he had before as he buried his face roughly into Tully's side. “Sorry.”

He could challenge it this time. “Why?” Tully started rubbing Juice's back once more, holding back the impulse to look for knots. Instead he just pet slow and light. A weight on his stomach as Juice reached around to hold Tully; he was so touch-starved it didn't seem like he considered the movement. Just felt the need to occupy the same physical space as Tully, be as close to him as humanly possible. It made the older con's heart melt just a little bit seeing it. Feeling a proper hug around his torso was, apparently, still a novelty.

Then Juice yanked his arm back like he'd been burned. “Th-that. Bein' such a goddamned fag about it.” He sniffled again, once more trying to keep his tears inwards.

Tully didn't even need to say anything. He just _looked,_ and Juice put his arm back tentatively. “You can touch, baby boy.” Tully rumbled as he shifted to untuck his tank top for the boy's wandering fingers. Skin-to-skin contact; something he knew Juice needed. “E-easy, I'm ticklish.” And the scar on that side was still a little tender, though mostly healed. Tully waited until Juice relaxed into position. He himself settled comfortably into his own. “Better. You're not being a fag. Now, you're allowed to grieve for something you've lost. Even them. They've been your family, with all of that entails.” Juice looked like he was going to argue, so Tully pressed one finger to his lips. “I expected nothing less, I'm not hurt by a fact, baby boy. What hurts is seeing you so hurt and--” Tully leaned in again to give Juice the smallest peck on the forehead. “--Not being able to do anything about it. Besides this.”

“This is enough.” Juice mumbled into his chest, his fingers still lightly petting Tully's side. The older man didn't want to turn it into about what _he_ was feeling, so he let Juice continue. “N-no, really.” He sniffed, and looked up from his spot nestled on Tully's chest. He was almost eye-to-eye with the swastika there though he held Tully's gaze. “Th-they...” Another sniffle, and now a smile through the once-again threatening tears. “This is more than they'd ever have done.” Juice dropped his face and whimpered. “I know it, b-but...” Finally a hiccup and another sob. “It hu-hurts so bad that they hate me. W-we were f-family. Br-brothers. I l-loved them, Papi. An' n-now....”

It seemed easier this time for Juice to let the tears fall, to let himself cry again. Just like the shot-caller had known it would be. Tully just remained still, except for his light strokes down Juice's spine. He couldn't argue with his baby's broken heart, not right this second. “Shh. It's okay, sweet boy. I've got you.” Juice's shoulders shook with his sobs but Tully just kept murmuring quietly those gentle words his boy loved to hear. Needed to hear. Tully only wished it was appropriate to confess to Juice how he really felt, in his heart. Again, though. It wasn't about him. “Got you baby.” He repeated. Tully considered pulling Juice onto his lap again, so he could have the full touch once more. So he could envelop him in a hug.

“N-not alone.” The younger con coughed out, wincing slightly. “You're not.... not gonna....” His words failed as clearly another pain-filled memory took over and he had to break off. Tully's tank top shifted as it was tugged around, Juice tangling his fingers in it.

More sobs. It wasn't the attack; it was something else. Something older. An infection that needed to be drawn out. “I wouldn't do a great deal, beautiful.” Tully led him tentatively, his hands still there and wrapped around Juice as much as he could with their current position.

“W-wouldn't...” Juice choked again and then took a deep slow breath. Stretching his lungs and getting his words together. He continued before Tully could push him to elaborate. “Wouldn't have believed me when I said everything was okay. Th-that it was an accident. You'da figured it wasn't.” Juice laughed, a little dark and a little wild. “T'be honest I dunno if you'd've shot me or go-gotten me help but either way it wasn' what they did.”

Juice finally lapsed into tears and sniffles once more. Tully wasn't going to leave him to suffer alone, that was what Juice had meant. That the MC had was _still_ chewing Juice up. There had to be more, though. Tully could wait. “I got you, baby.”

“I was workin' with RICO.” He was barely audible. “It wasn'....I just couldn't have th' Club know 'bout bein' half-black.” Tully kept stroking. Wishing he could be surprised, but he wasn't. Juice would have done literally anything to keep his place in the club. “I did bad things.” Another sniffle, and a shudder as he once more shifted to cling tightly. Now that he was talking Tully wasn't going to make him stop. “Tried t'...to kill myself. Jus' so it wouldn' get worse. For the club, an' me.” He sighed, a shaking one. “Bu' it didn' work, and it did get worse. They found out...'bout RICO. I mean, I told 'em, after. Stopped trustin' me. I can' blame them, really.”

Tully couldn't either. He was surprised though that they kept him alive after a direct confession to being a rat. Juice was just that easily manipulated and used, Tully supposed. Worth more alive than dead, in that respect. His boy was quiet now, just letting occasional sniffs out. “I'd have shot you.” He mentally smacked himself in the forehead. “At the time. _Thou shalt not suffer a snitch to live_ and all that.” Tully wasn't so certain he'd do it now. No matter, he hoped Juice wouldn't be too traumatized by his comment.

A laugh, to Tully's shock. “Thought so. Clay...shoulda. But I'm glad he didn't.” Once more Juice sat up and placed the softest peck on Tully's cheek before he rested his head down. A silent acknowledgment that he got to be with Tully since the former Club president let him live. “'M sorry. Like a see-saw today.”

“You're allowed, sweetheart.”

He felt Juice's smile more then saw it. “Guess....I w's hoping that if I kept it... it meant there was a chance that I could come back.” Juice looked down now, at the arm resting on Tully's stomach. He made a fist, watching as the tattoo shimmer, still shiny with Vaseline. “Th-that they didn't really hate me. Wanted me to be part of the family still.”

Tully dragged his fingers down Juice's back, and then up again. “But I think...think I knew it wasn't gonna happen. Since the tree branch broke, probably, I knew. Th't I wasn't a part of them anymore. 'Sons don' kill themselves.'” He sighed after speaking. It sounded to Tully like he was repeating something he'd heard before from someone else. “Shitty family, huh?”

“As blood family is, so often is the one we choose.” Tully thought for a moment. “But, my pretty boy...you kept trying. Kept fighting to be part of it, mm?

“I-I guess....?” Juice was still looking at his arm. “If you call bein' a rat trying.”

“You said yourself it was to protect your position in the club. Protecting the family unit, in a sense. Far more altruistic than others they've gotten to rat for them.” Tully shrugged with one shoulder. “Even Sons.” He was reminded of the man, whose name escaped him now, that had been indeed pushed to that action. He'd hated the Sons, so he snitched. It had gotten him killed, in the end, though he'd taken out a predator that even Tully kept away from so it hadn't been a total disaster. “Anyway, you did the thing you seem to be best at, beautiful. You survived and now,” he once more kissed Juice's forehead, “You're mine. As I told you before, they don't know what they lost.”

Another sniffle made him frown, but it vanished when he saw there was a small smile on Juice's face. It was happy sniffles this time. “I like it when you say that. That I'm yours.”

To that Tully could only give him more kisses. “You _are_ mine and the whole prison knows it.”

“...Good. Gonna need it...when I next take a shower.” Juice sighed, though it was just one of those accepting ones, not the defeated kind. He clearly didn't want to go with the general population.

Shit, he still hadn't told Juice. “If they do look untoward at you I expect that you'll react appropriately and beat their asses.” Tully spoke primly, keeping his face straight. Only for a moment though. “But until you can you'll be showering with me.”

Juice sat up suddenly to look at him better. “Ow.” But there was a smile there behind the sharp pain. “Really?” His eyebrows knit together as he thought when Tully could have done it; they'd been basically joined at the hip the entire time Juice had been back.

It made Tully chuckle softly, watching his the cogs in his boys mind turn. “Well, as together as I like to be, remember. For the time being until you're better.” He was rewarded with that brilliant, sweet smile and Tully wanted to pull him even closer for it. Instead Juice beat him to the punch and hugged him. “You're welcome.”

Juice's laugh, almost a giggle, was equal to the sniffle he let out. It was a strange, but clearly an elated sound. “Stop knowin' me too well. Not that...I mind. 'Course.”

“Of course.” Tully smirked. “Nice that someone gets you, hm?” Juice nodded. “I do get you. And I got you, my pretty boy.”

They sat like that, not talking further about Juice's past. Instead just enjoying each other's company. “What ink's on your back? Saw some of it. When you were standing.”

Juice wasn't asking because he'd given Tully so much before. Not quid pro quo. His tone was open and just plain curious. “Lines for the _Reichsadler_...” Tully's fingers lightly grazed across Juice's shoulder blades, like he had been touching before, tracing the places where his tattoos were. Mostly because he was too comfortable; they were too comfortable to shift and show Juice specifically. “The Imperial eagle. Bit slow going but Nuke says it'll be, and I quote, 'Cool.'” Tully chuckled as his hand moved downward a bit, now between his shoulder blades. He traced a lazy circle there. “Swastika he—you alright?”

His boy was tense under his hands, but he nodded. “Keep goin'?”

Tully had to trust him to know himself, so he did. Cautiously, though as he slid his fingers down on one side of his spine. “Here. I share a tattoo with a man I call my true brother. Based on Baudelaire's work. Mm, you might like him, now that I think about it.” Tully would have to get a copy of _Les Fleurs du Mal_ from Cornelius. Another one of those books that Tully had his name on Cornelius' lists multiple times throughout the years.

“What's his name? Your brother.” Juice was touching Tully similarly to how he was being touched; light little strokes with his free hand. It did tickle though, and Tully twitched involuntarily. “An'....c'n I ask about th' ex?” The hand stopped moving, and Juice looked up to him.

Shit. Tully had hoped he'd forgotten. “I mean if you wanna. 'S not my business or anythin', just curious I--” Juice raced to cover his question, to back away and make it alright with them.

The shot-caller shook his head. “You're fine, beautiful.” Tully took a moment. “Not as interestin' as Nuke made it seem. Married before I went in, she wanted me to change and I divorced her when I figured that out.” Really that was the whole of it. “We got together as that was what you were _supposed_ to do, even in the movement. Was just a couple of years on the outside. Couple of years in here.” He snorted with a shake of his head. “Sometimes I still get angry letters from her lawyer which my lawyer takes care of. But less often since I sent her the camera footage of me being cock-deep in some-- sorry.”

Juice shook his head. “Nah, one way to get rid of a clingy sweetbutt. Let her see you with another...uh....well I would say woman but...wasn't a woman, was it?”

“Nope.” Tully cackled; he'd also written a letter with nothing but _Bitch, I'm gay_ over and over again. It was one of his more entertaining memories. “Six weeks in the hole for the theft of the video.”

“Probably get more now, since 's all digital. 'Less you had an expert to take care of it. ” Clearly volunteering himself if the opportunity arose. Curiosity satisfied, Juice turned away from the topic of his ex. “Your brother?”

That was a more appealing conversation anyway. The thought of the other man who wore the same ink made him smile. “Will. We met when we were very young and he remained my closest friend even as I went further into,” and here Tully gestured with his free hand before he lightly draped it around Juice's shoulders to hug him, “this. The movement. He still writes every six months or so and visits occasionally.” Of course Tully was leaving a great deal out, his past and Will's past but his boy was smart. He could suss out that what the man was telling him was the important bits. “Bit of a wanderer like all you motorcycle enthusiasts seem to be in your heart.” Juice blushed and Tully chuckled. “You would like him. He rides, does all the 'zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance' stuff..” Tully had to tell Will about Juice at the earliest opportunity. Probably when he got Will's next letter and his new P.O box.

Juice smiled, clearly happy to be huddled in Tully's arms while he talked about his best friend. “Sounds nice. Never kept up with people from the city.” He thought a moment. “Mostly other than the club...'s people I play video games with.” The boy sighed and shrugged. “Never thought I'd have to make friends again.”

Tully squeezed his shoulders. “Which you're good at. Don't put yourself down.” He ordered before Juice could even start with it. “They like you.” Tully gestured outward, indicating the AB in the cells around them. “It only looks like they just tolerate you; you know how it is, baby.”

“Nah, we can't stand your housewife, Tully.” Mickey's voice made them both jump. Tully shot him a dirty look. It was teasing, clearly, but there was a line and Mickey was edging up to it. “You two going to be at dinner?” He had to know to make arrangements.

“Yeah.” Juice piped up from his place on Tully's chest before he sat up to put feeling back in his limbs. Rub his eyes also, which were clearly puffy still. Mickey politely ignored it, as the ones still left in the cells had been doing the entire time. Power came with privilege and this semi-privacy was one of them. Tully moved as well, bringing his knees to his chest before he straightened them. He didn't let them rest until he repeated the action a couple more times. It was a good abdominal workout. “Thanks, by the way. F'r the substitution.”

“Welcome, Pitbull. Anything else?” Tully shook his head and Mickey moved on, likely back to his cell now that his duties with the meal cart were over.

“Good boy.” Tully of course had to reward the boy for taking a chance and going out to the cafeteria for dinner. He did it with a soft kiss to his forehead.

The boy beamed, that ray of sunshine. “Mm, Papi can you go get me a drink?” He gave Tully the puppy dog eyes, and Tully almost, almost relented. But he couldn't spoil Juice too much. The shot-caller just gave him another _look_. “Okay, okay. Help me up?”

That, Tully would do and he gently assisted his boy until he was at the edge of the bed. Juice stood on his own, though. “Nng.” He groaned as he wobbled his way to the sink. Even after sitting so long before this, Juice seemed sore and stiff and Tully made a mental note to see if Nuke would make him an easy routine. To keep him from locking up entirely and prevent problems in the future. Or if the one he'd already made was appropriate. “Figured it'd be good to go. T'dinner, I mean.” Juice paused for a moment. Tully could see a smile ghosting his face and mischief in his eyes, reflected in the shined steel that was their mirror. It vanished a moment later and Juice made his features neutral.

Tully wasn't fooled, of course. “Mm, what are you plotting baby? You know I'll find out in _my_ prison.” He folded his arms and glared. Not too seriously, though. It was mostly play.

Juice returned the look over his Iron Man cup, eyes dancing. “I promise you'll find out. An' it's not bad I promise.” He quickly finished the water in it. “Promise.” The teasing grin was faltering as he considered that he'd crossed a line.

Tully couldn't have that fear coming back. He gestured for Juice to return to bed, and at the same time to push away those intrusive thoughts. He knew deep down his boy wasn't going to keep bad secrets from him, or make plots against him. They clearly had more than enough respect for one another to not seriously cross the lines that shouldn't be crossed. They could joke around with each other, a little. Eagerly Juice nodded and picked up his workbook while he was still standing. They had time before dinner. “Wan' one of yours?” Juice always thought of him and it made Tully smile.

“You can read to me again.” Tully patted the space beside him. “Keep teachin' an ol' white hick about these fancy computer things.”

“You're not old.” Juice sat and resumed his spot against Tully's chest. “I said that before, Papi. So no sayin' it.” He grinned, pleased for the chance to chastise Tully for putting himself down as he'd been told so before. Perhaps even taking Tully's words to heart. Slowly. “This stuff moved fast. I mean, even in my lifetime, there's been so much change.” Juice wiggled to be comfortable before he opened the workbook. “Mm where were we?”

“Something about encryption?” Juice nodded and flipped to where they'd been forced to stop. “Old fashioned codes on steroids.” Tully's hands once more wrapped around Juice. Enforcing exactly how much and where he liked his baby boy. Right next to him. But then he let Juice go so that he could read.

Which he did, carrying them very nearly to dinner. “You know a gay guy did a lot of work defeating the Nazis?” Juice grinned up at Tully as he wiggled to stand up once more. “I mean, he broke their unbreakable code so the Allies could know what they were planning. I read about it in a book when I was a kid.”

Tully rose an eyebrow as he looked up to Juice. His boy's enthusiasm was adorable, and he was pretty sure that any baiting he might be doing was unintentional. Some foolish men tried to go against the Aryan Brotherhood in a battle of wits and ethics, debating them on World War Two facts and the Nazi party. It usually ended in a beat-down, physical and mental. “Yeah?” Tully got up himself, striding to the bathroom.

Juice looked away but he kept talking. “Then he did a lot of work on what would become artificial intelligence. And the study of it, and the philosophy of it and---” The boy paused making Tully turn his head to glance at him. “Sorry. For bugging you.”

“If you were bothering me, I'd tell you.” Tully pulled his pants up and washed his hands. “I like your intelligence, Juice. It's your gift. So tell me all the things you know, mm? Even if you think they're silly.”

The boy just lit up at the same time he was blushing. Like he'd never heard that his mind was valued for _itself_ and not what it could do. “He just likes hearin' you talk cuz the rest of us can't keep up with His Royal Brainiac.” Nuke laughed from the cell door.

“I'm not sure if that's a compliment, Nuke. Or to whom.” Tully mock-glared at him as he pulled a clean top over his torso. As much as he'd have liked to avoid it, without one he was out of uniform and risked hole time. Tully folded his arms and rose an eyebrow, keeping his back turned to Juice who had moved to use the toilet as well. “And I'm glad to see you again after you disappeared. Shirking clean-up, tsk tsk.” Tully waited for an explanation for his behavior. While Nuke _had_ taken care of them as far as the escort was concerned the shot-caller understood their conversation to mean that unless something bad happened, Nuke would be back. He hadn't been, and Tully needed to know why.

As the cell doors opened Nuke backed up with his hands up. “Hey, McManus told me to make tracks to the mess hall, boss. I wasn't gonna ask why.”

The older con stalked out and he could feel Juice behind him, having finished what he was doing. “Mm. I'm sure I'll find out why because you're going to find out.” Tully gave him a pointed look before the gang circled up around him. As usual, Juice was beside him, slipping into the persona he was showing the rest of the prison. He was perfectly okay, no need to consider him a target. “Got it?”

“'Course, boss.” Nuke grumbled from behind the boy.

Tully smirked slightly. “I suspect it has something to do with the new fish that are supposed to be coming soon.” He glanced around the cafeteria as they entered. The new inmates weren't there yet, but it was always good to be prepared. “You an' Froggy suss 'em out.” Tully's accent was slipping, and he let it instead of reigning it in. He wasn't _really_ mad at Nuke, the other man just needed to pay better attention as to what was going on around them. Their muscle was going to be moving up after all, once Tully formally made Mickey his second. “A little birdie told me you didn't recruit last time we got new fishies so keep an eye out for record holders.”

Nuke looked like he was about to argue about who made what decision, but in the end he just nodded. “You got it, boss.” The new job would get Nuke to learn exactly what he wanted him to, and he'd have a chance to flex his literal and figurative muscles at the arriving inmates. And Nuke didn't even know he'd done it.

Tully preened as he sat down. Damn, he was good at his job. Juice took his seat in front of him, smirking slightly. His boy, as usual sharp as a whip, had caught what Tully had been doing. How he'd been manipulating his own men, though it was for their own good. One-handed he started in on the meal, hiding the other on his lap. It only looked like he was being polite; Juice was really just keeping any eagle-eyed guards from seeing the blotch on his arm.

“'Ey, Tully.” Juice jumped at the voice behind him and turned. Tully just glanced up. It was Luis, standing directly behind Juice but a respectful distance away. His own muscle behind him; the rest of Tully's table silenced. “Gonna take some time to talk to my farmers. Unionization's hard, you know. Might need a lot of support.” Tully rose an eyebrow, lacing his fingers together lightly over his tray before he looked to Juice.

His boy was steel faced and hiding his anxiety, but perhaps not for long. Tully, however, needed to conduct business. Silently he apologized to his sweet Juice before he gave a glance to Nuke. His muscle pulled the boy roughly, sliding over with him. It left a space for Luis, now and out of the corner of his eye he caught Juice rubbing his upper arm. His jaw worked as he reached to bring his tray over, careful to stay out of Luis' personal space. He was, after all, only a punk. An owned one, yes, but a punk. His life was worth very little. Tully ignored the hurt look in his eyes, focusing only on Luis. “More support?” The shot-caller resumed eating. He paid them plenty to make sure his coke got from Colombia to the states, so Tully imagined it had to do with the heroin. He knew he'd have to negotiate with _someone_ for the H muling. The Triads used their own men whereas Tully liked the work that the cartel did. It worked for Brown, too. He'd had a shipment for free, now was as good a time as any to start the work for the contract. “I appreciate their breaking those horses in their spare time. I've got more of the herd, would they be willing to take care of them too, take a cut of the final auction price? Ought to cover unionization.”

“Mm.” Luis considered. “I don't see why not. You pay us good to break 'em.” The Mexican Mafia shot-caller laughed, holding out his hand. “Call it good, 'mano. I'll let you know if they want something else.” Tully figured that was what the cartel wanted when he didn't argue more. He just took the other man's hand and shook it. “Oh,” Luis let it go and looked to Juice before he went back to Tully, “uh, 'Appy had a chat with Lenny the Pimp this mornin'. One of 'em needs to see that he's doin' what they told 'im.”

Tully frowned. Who the hell did they think they were? Juice wasn't theirs to even ask to look at anymore, they should know that by now. He was about to open his mouth when Luis continued, holding his hands up. “I know your response, 'mano, that they c'n fuck off. I told them that. Made a deal, I c'n look an' it'll count?”

It was wise that he framed it in the form of a question, because Tully might have otherwise back handed him for disrespect. Some part of him tugged back his instincts, imploring himself to think before he acted. Luis was an ally and a friend. Tully couldn't shoot the messenger. He needed more information, as usual. “They don't trust me?” He didn't hold back the frown that remained.

The boy finally piped up. “'S not...not you. 'S me.” He squirmed on the seat, looking pale and also keeping his eyes downcast. Beyond terrified and that made Tully angrier. He kept silent, for the moment. “They didn' do it, th-they gotta check I got it done right. D-don' trus' me t'do it th' right w-way.” Juice glanced up at Luis and then to Tully. The older con could only look back at him, give him the strength that he needed. “L-lenny gets I'll b-be able to get my chest done when its healed? Like s-six weeks? Maybe five. It'll g-get done. I ain't gonna t-take off my shirt wh-where other people c'n see an' think...I'm st-still.... ” Juice swallowed before he brought his arm up and turned it a little so that the other shot-caller could see. “I swear, man.”

Luis didn't touch the other man, just looked at it and then past Juice to Nuke. It wasn't exactly a secret that he was the one to do the Brotherhood's ink. A nod, and then one more glance to Juice's arm before he turned to Tully. “Sorry, Tully.” Already he was getting up, not wanting to overstay his welcome now. “I'll talk to the farmers, get back to you.”

Basically Luis turned and high-tailed it away from the silent table of Brotherhood members avoiding the fire in Tully's eyes. Immediately Tully looked to Juice. His boy was hunched over and panting now; it seemed like he'd started hyperventilating the second that Luis looked away. “Juice?”

“'M...fine..” The young man whimpered between gasps. “Fine.” He was trying to stabilize his own breathing, white-knuckling the table edge. “'M okay. P-please, 'm fine.” He stuttered, shaking his head just before Tully got up to sit next to him. “Sh-shit.” Tully heard the hiss from the boy as he sat straight and reached for the chocolate milk. “Shit. S-sorry.” Clearly apologizing to the rest of the men, and Tully, as he choked down the drink. “Sorry.”

“Shut up, Pitbull.” Mickey growled. “Fuckin' goddamn cholos should know not to sneak up on people. Wetback motherfuckers, should teach 'em a lesson.”

Juice shut up, staring down at his tray as he scooted back over away from Nuke. Tully still hadn't said anything, but he needed to. “As much as I agree with you, Mickey, he's only doing what he needs to. I would do similar.” Not the same thing, but close enough. Tully couldn't help himself then. He reached across the table and gently tilted Juice's chin up. Making sure he was okay; it was hard to tell if he resented Tully's treatment of him with his eyes still downcast. Were their places reversed, he certainly would resent Juice. “My pretty Puerto Rican.” He kept his voice low but he didn't care who was looking at them.

“'M fine.” He wouldn't, or couldn't more likely, meet Tully's eyes. “Really.”

He didn't believe Juice, not really. But his boy deserved some dignity; he didn't need to be interrogated out here. He squeezed Juice's chin. Gently, of course. “Later, then.” Tully refused let go until he got the tiniest nod. “Good.” He started on his food, as did the rest of the table. Juice picked at his own.

“Hey, Pit. Make sure you wash and put more lotion on it 'fore you go to bed.” Even Nuke's voice lowered for his benefit made him jump. They weren't back to square one, but certainly Juice's happiness, and his confidence in himself had taken a nose dive. Like all of their afternoon's work was undone by the carelessness and callousness of others. Tully was almost considering bringing up sex just because he knew it was something he could give to his boy to make him feel _good._ Once more Tully wished he could turn back the clock, to rescue his boy from the Club earlier. Before they did this number on him. Changing the impossible, was that what you would do if you were in love with someone? The shot-caller didn't know. Just watched Juice push his food around and wondered what he was thinking.

The end of dinner did not come soon enough. Tully pulled his boy close to him as they started back to their cell, wary of guards. “C'n we go to the commissary?” Juice spoke mostly into his shoulder.

“Of course.” Tully gently steered them that direction, shifting his hold so that he could get a hand around Juice's chest. His heart pounded beneath his fingers, a sign of the anxiety that Juice was clamping down. “I got you.” He murmured into the top of Juice's head before he pulled away. One of the guards was giving him a dirty look for his flagrant disregard for the rules. “What're you getting, mm?”

Juice thrust his hands in his pockets. “Need more lotion. Havin' a craving for peanut butter.” The boy looked up to him, a very brief smile crossing his features. “They're n-not related.”

Tully snickered. “Should I have been concerned they were?” He was about to move away, lean against a nearby wall so his back wasn't exposed but Juice's tension kept him from actually doing so. “I need anything else...?” Tully hummed, thinking if he had all that he wanted for their cell. He still had one hell of a stash of candy though he could use more protein bars. He had enough for the moment. “We're good.”

“Good.” His boy was next, and so Tully stood to the side to let him purchase his goods. “Creamy 'r chunky?” Juice looked over his shoulder at him.

Still looking out for Tully. It made the older man smile, and he waved a bit. It didn't matter to him, it was Juice's to eat after all. The boy came away from the counter with a small sack of goodies; Tully saw the lotion and the jar of peanut butter, along with a box of pop-tarts. “Nuke'll get me for this, but a peanut butter and pop-tart sandwich? Good stuff.” He was trying. Fighting, still even as he pressed a little close. Needy for Tully's protection. Not just his protection, him. Tully huffed out of his nose as they started their walk down to their cell. Tully brought his arm around Juice again, and then dropped it lightly down his boy's spine. Once more he felt a restrained jump.

“You're alright.” Tully let him go first, rumbling as he passed. The door shut behind them, once more cut off from the goings-on of the prison. His boy set down the peanut butter and the lotion, along with the box of pop-tarts on the shelf that Tully had cleared for him. Then he moved the lotion to the sink, a curious need to organize. Tully watched as Juice pulled his top off exposing the bared skin of his back before he pulled a clean t-shirt on to sleep in.

Finally Juice sighed, turning to look at him. “Sorry.” He looked away again and went to the sink to wash like Nuke had instructed him. That tattoo would be easy enough to heal as long as he kept it clean. Not like Tully's elbows. “I--” Another sigh and Juice looked down at what he was doing without apparently being able to finish the sentence he started. Just began to scrub a little too hard.

Tully came away from the wall he leaned against and caught Juice's wrist before he undid Nuke's work by making it scab. “Gentle, baby.” He looked down into his sweet boy's eyes, trying to figure out what it was he was feeling. Fear, of course, and disappointment in himself. Frustration, too. Tully could guess what it was about. He wanted to hear Juice say it though and he pushed up into his boy's space. “Tell me,” Tully quietly crooned, still holding onto Juice's arm in case he decided to bolt, “what you're sorry for my sweet boy.”

Rather than pulling away Juice just pressed into the other man. He didn't speak immediately, first shutting off the water. “Bein' so jumpy. In front of everyone, that other shot-caller. Embarrassing you.” A little nudge, his shoulder lightly bumping Tully's chest and without letting go Tully moved them towards the bed. He snagged the lotion while they moved. Once they were settled on the bed, his boy shifted to take it from him but Tully shook his head. He could take care of his boy, maybe make the roaring worry in his mind quiet once more. The lotion was cool on his fingers as he coated them and it took only a look for Juice to slightly turn himself so that Tully could easily reach the tattooed arm. “What was his name?”

“Luis. Alvarez is his last name, I think. All the same to me, really.” Very lightly he took Juice's hand in one of his own and drew the lotion-covered fingers up and down the black blotch. Juice didn't even flinch; in fact his fingers squeezed Tully's. “You're not jumpy now.” Directing his boy back to the topic.

Juice looked away. “'S only you. Not that I don't trust the other guys jus'... I _can't_. Deep down.” Another sigh and he looked down. “Not like with you. An' other people? Guards?” Now he shook his head with a dark laugh. “I try to cover it. Tried today, I really did Papi... but Luis. He's protectin' Happy and I kept thinkin' that and couldn't _stop_ thinking about it.”

Tully squeezed his hand, forcing his boy to focus on the here and now. “You took care of business, baby boy and I am proud of you for that.” He paused, considering for a moment before he spoke again. “I'm sorry for my part.” In fact he pulled Juice's sleeve up now that his tattoo was well lotioned, checking to make sure Nuke didn't bruise his boy up. There was one red spot that might darken but that was all.

He jerked his head up, eyes wide. “N-no, you... you were just doin' what th' boss does... Woulda been rude to make him keep standing...” Tully merely rose an eyebrow to that, and held Juice's eyes with his own. It only took a few minutes of that before Juice relented. “I mean,” he sniffled, “I thought for a sec you coulda made Nuke move but I knew you really couldn't.” His boy shrugged again and tentatively reached with his free hand. “Takin' care of business, like you said.” Tully watched as he lightly traced the scars on his hand, and the swastikas before moving upward. Juice finally smiled. “You got me, though. I thought you were gonna jump the table and deck him.”

Tully chuckled, giving him another squeeze. “That would have started a war and Luis is a valuable ally.” A friend, as much as he could have one here. Shot-callers tended to stick together that way. “I did consider it.” Now he grinned. “I still could, or Nuke could. He wants to hit something.”

Juice shook his head. “No, god no. He did us a favor, 'member? Didn' have to talk to Lenny. S-so I didn't have to.” Juice didn't say how it could have been worse.

“Mm. Good point.” Tully conceded. Once more though they were getting off topic. “You didn't embarrass me at dinner, beautiful. I was more worried than anything. I don't think Luis was bothered, either if that concerns you.” A little smirk. “Actually even he asked about you while you were still in the hospital.” Tully reached to stroke one of those beautiful cheeks. “It's only been a couple of weeks. You're allowed to be a little jumpy.” Now he pinched it between two knuckles, still smirking. “As long as you keep fighting, baby boy. I've got you, you know that.” _For when you need to rest_ was implied. “Now,” Tully straightened, “We have a little time before bed and I want to read to you.” He got up, and grabbed the poetry book.

Juice beamed and then almost shyly patted his lap. Indicating he wanted Tully to rest his head down, and delightfully Tully obliged him almost snuggling comfortably against him. “When do we shower?”

He was about to answer when he felt the very softest stroke on his own scalp. Juice carding his fingers through Tully's hair, and the pleasant sensation made him shudder. Not in a sexual way, just a happy one. Not many people touched him like that anymore; when it was longer it was softer but less so now and it was a touch he'd forgotten how much he enjoyed. Juice did it again before he hesitated. “''Fore lunch, after breakfast.” Tully glanced up at him as he opened the book to a random page. “Keep doing that.” The boy nodded and he did it again. He was extremely careful not to tangle or tug, for which Tully was grateful. “Mm.” This one was perfect. “'There shall be no despair for you while nightly stars are burning....'”

After a few more poems and a pause where Tully got up to get them both water, Juice spoke “Stay? I don'...think I c'n try by myself tonight.” He sipped and looked up with those big brown eyes. Wonderfully trusting and finally relaxing after an hour or two in the safety of their cell.

The sight made Tully smile. Not that he had planned otherwise, but hearing Juice ask warmed him as much as the boy playing with his hair had. “Of course, baby.” He didn't lay down just yet. “Want dessert?” The rattle of M&M this time as Tully pulled it out from under his pillow. At the same time he grabbed the fluffy thing so he didn't have to get up again.

More of that delighted grin as he shifted. “Please? I'll read some of the poems--”

“I'm taking care of you now, beautiful. Budge up.” Tully sat back down and then moved so his head was in Juice's lap again. “Hm.” He tore open the package and held up one of the colorful orbs so Juice could nibble it out of his fingers. Then he set the bag on his chest to find another poem. There they remained until the lights went out and Juice laid down close to the wall as he always did. The end of a long, emotionally draining day and Tully was glad for it. Likely as much as Juice was. He held onto his boy, careful not to irritate the new ink.

The older man was just about dozed off when Juice lightly nudged him with one elbow. “Papi?” Something strange in his voice brought Tully to consciousness immediately. “C'n you... roll onto your back?” Already Juice was moving to give Tully room to do so. “Please?”

The man was confused and he could practically hear Juice gritting his teeth with his own shifting after having relaxed and cuddled. But Tully did it anyway, just because of that quiet plea. “Oof.” Juice lay down on top of Tully slowly, smirking. Tully felt _that_ against his neck even in the dark. “Wha're you doin' beautiful?” He let a gasp escape when a light nibble there startled him. And of course arousal shot like lightning straight to his cock. “J-Juice.”

“Shh. You'll get us caught Papi.” Another kiss and he gave a small grind.

Juice wasn't aroused though, even if Tully was. This wasn't right. Juice was still hurting and even if Tully had considered this before he wasn't going to take advantage of it. Before his sweet, caring Juice could do anything more Tully forced himself to growl out softly. “Juice.” The boy froze in his ministrations, giving the older man a moment to think. He wrapped his arms around his boy so he couldn't escape. Tully imagined that he might try, might think that Tully was rejecting him. “Not if you really don't want.”

Juice took a deep breath, not squirming away even if Tully could feel his heart thudding. “Tully,” his voice was shaky and soft in Tully's ear, “I wanna....” A pause. “C-can't take...but I wanna make you feel good.” He continued again before the shot-caller could argue. “S-some nights in the hospital.... it was th' only way I could get back to sleep. Thinkin' about it.” More nuzzling of his neck and another kiss there. “Please.” Juice sighed deeply apparently comfortable like this; on his stomach on Tully's chest.

He petted down his boy's spine, making sure to come up well before he reached that pretty ass. Tully didn't want him to push himself but Juice didn't seem inclined to. He'd already told Tully his limits. “Sure?”

“I haven' been this sure in a long time,” came the immediate response. “I trust you. You got me, remember?”

Of course he did. Tully released his hold at the same time he raised his head to nibble at Juice's throat the same way his boy had. “I got you.” That megawatt smile against his skin and once more Juice was shifting. Wiggling his way down. Planting kisses on Tully's chest even against the fabric of his tank top. Worshiping his Papi like he had before the mess. “Careful.” Tully brushed Juice's arm, the one that was newly tattooed. Then he slipped his hands back.

Or started to. “Nuh uh. Wan' you to touch.” Juice's voice was muffled; Tully shivered with the hot breath on his belly. “An' I will b'careful.” Juice's fingers tentatively hooked around the waistband of Tully's pants. His boy was surprising in how he was holding himself up. Letting Tully and the bed take most of his weight instead of straining his chest and abdomen. The older man lifted his ass to let his boy pull his pants down. Expose his cock which had already hardened despite how slow they were going. That was fine. Lightly Tully stroked Juice's scalp as he'd been petted earlier. “Missed you.” The boy breathed barely above a whisper. He didn't give Tully a chance to respond, just engulfed his cock in warm wet nearly all the way down to the root.

The shot caller bit back a moan. They were supposed to be quiet, after all. It was going to be difficult though. His boy was so good and it _had_ been a while. Tully's fingers brushed Juice's cheek as he pulled back leaving Tully feel briefly abandoned. It was only a moment, though. Juice dropped again, slow and steady. Probably so he didn't gag.

And though Tully liked hearing the sounds he wouldn't dare hurt his baby boy. This was better. A slow burn, so they could experience the intimacy of being together for the first time since Juice returned. As Juice withdrew this time he put a little suction into his work. Electric for Tully; he gripped the bunk and he let out a soft breath. “So good, baby boy.”

Juice smiled against his shaft and dipped low once more. Tully untangled his fingers from the bunk and once more touched Juice. He wished he could properly see, too but the sensations were enough. Better, really, because he was forced to concentrate on all of his other senses. The gentle touches on his hips and sides. Juice's tongue slipping out to lap at him once the heat of his mouth withdrew, swirling around the ridge of his cock head. Through the sparks of pleasure Tully heard Juice take a slow breath before once more his cock was engulfed. He half-expected Juice to withdraw before he made it all the way down but he didn't. Juice took him all the way to the base and Tully could almost imagine the look in those beautiful brown eyes as his mouth was stuffed full. And then his boy swallowed, squeezing Tully's cock and he couldn't hold back the moan. “Baby...” Then the tightness disappeared and Juice pulled up again.

“Shh.” Juice whispered at the same time he swirled his tongue against Tully's leaking tip. It wasn't fair, how good Juice was at making him feel and he couldn't reciprocate.

Maybe the boy had planned it that way. Honestly it didn't matter as long as Juice kept up with what he was doing with his tongue. Tully panted, lazily stroking his boy's head though it was partly because he couldn't muster the concentration for anything else. Juice hummed with Tully's cock in his mouth, which gave him so much pleasure Tully practically jumped.

Now Juice pulled back, sucking hard as he did so. Tully finally had to remove his hand from Juice to bite his wrist, to keep sound from escaping and bothering the others. His cock was released with a gentle pop and Juice stopped his torment. He nuzzled the inside of one of Tully's thighs, kissing them lightly. “These legs.” Juice hummed very soft as he shifted to the other one. “An' your ass.” Tully felt that mischievous smile on his skin for only a second before Juice slipped further between his legs. First to nuzzle his balls, pull them one at a time into his mouth and lap his tongue on them. And then he did it again, apparently just to feel Tully's shudder from his skyrocketing arousal. Barely, the shot-caller heard the soft intake of breath before Juice dropped his head again.

The touch was tentative, shy and almost afraid but it also made stars explode behind Tully's eyelids. Juice was actually licking his hole; he made no impression that he was going any further than that. Clearly just wanted to make Tully feel good and it was working. More than just working, it left him panting and dizzy. Juice rose his head after that one tiny movement and Tully knew that he was worried that he'd gone too far. “Do it 'gain.” He didn't even try to keep the drawl out of his voice, and his hand slid from its place on the bed to Juice's scalp. First he stroked, running one finger on the tattoos he knew were there before he very gently pressed down. Emphasizing his words, assuring that he did, in fact, want Juice to do it again.

He didn't want to think that his boy was well-trained, but he was well-trained. He didn't need more 0encouragement, and his head returned to its place between Tully's legs. This time the gentle lick was bolder, swiping along the puckered flesh there before he tried something new. Lightly Juice swirled the very tip against the tight ring of muscle. Still he made no move to press inward, just teased along the outside. Tully marveled at how good it felt; each movement of his boy's tongue and now shockingly he added the pad of one finger following his tongue, and it it seemed like it was all connected directly to his cock. Somewhere outside of the lust-soaked part mind he was pleased that he'd been doing it right when he touched his sweet boy's ass, but it wasn't very loud. It was swept away in fact by the tidal force of his need and Tully pulled his hand away to finally grip himself. He needed stimulation or he was going to go mad.

Tully kept his fingers deliberately away from his most sensitive spots, just matched the pace that Juice set with his tongue. And it was slow, and torturous. His boy's imagination had to have run wild all by himself in that hospital bed; some part of Tully wondered just how creative Juice could be if left to his own devices. Something to explore, later. Now it was just the two of them with Juice's wonderful mouth on his hole.

A gentle nuzzle against his fingers as Juice shifted upwards. Getting air, maybe. Maybe he just wanted to make sure Tully was still with him, still hard. Oh, he was still there, and achingly hard. Tully stroked Juice's cheek now, instead of himself, just so he could connect with his boy. Need satisfied Juice dropped back down again, twirling his tongue around the muscle there. Fire was settling in his belly as he stroked himself, his free hand wandering to touch Juice once again. If only they didn't have to keep it so quiet, so under the radar. The boy's finger followed his tongue, and then withdrew so that he could stroke and touch his skin, pet his balls and bump knuckles with Tully's. Tully felt Juice's breath against him, hitching and even though the shot-caller wanted him to keep going he realized it couldn't have been a terribly comfortable position. He unwrapped his hand from his cock, and reached down between his legs to find Juice's fingers. Lightly, he tugged. “C'mon, sweet boy.” He managed to murmur out loud enough Juice could hear him. “Come suck Papi's cock now.” Not that he didn't want Juice to continue, but he wanted other things too. “Let me cum down your throat, beautiful.”

The sound of both a sigh of relief and a sigh of sadness was a curious one, but Juice came up once more as he'd been gently ordered. Tully didn't have to reach now to stroke his cheek, and he started to rumble again as Juice settled. “Felt so good, baby.” There was that smile and then Tully's fingers were engulfed in his boy's mouth like it was almost reflex. Tully took his own shuddering breath and dropped his head from where he'd risen it to try and see the other man. Begging crossed his mind, but Tully didn't beg.

At least not until he felt the pad of his boy's finger rubbing around his hole once more. “B-baby, please.” The moan might have been a little loud as immediately Juice stopped. Listening for anyone else, and perhaps letting Tully come down from his arousal. But the man wanted him to keep going. He'd made this kind of noise before, the others would just have to deal. They couldn't see what Juice was doing to him. That mouth suckled on Tully's fingers as his other hand shifted upwards to rub that spot in between his hole and his balls, and lights danced in front of his eyes. “S-suck my cock.” He hissed as his dick bobbed, dripping with precum. “ _Now, boy._ ” Juice practically shuddered himself before he released the man's fingers and dropped hungrily down. “So good.” Tully murmured as both hands reached down to touch his boy. His own shuddering made it difficult, even more so when Juice did something with his tongue yet again, hitting all the best spots. It was getting difficult to keep from thrusting upwards.

Like it was his power Juice pulled off before Tully could give in. The sweet boy he was, Tully felt Juice lips brushing the crest of his hips; the juncture between his sack and leg, the top of the mound of short-clipped pubic hair. Anywhere he could reach while Tully backed away from his peak. It was a lot of movement though, and Juice finally had to settle. His hands brushed Tully's hips as he panted. “This ass. Mine too.” He mumbled before pulling Tully's cock into his mouth again.

Not in the way that Juice's ass was Tully's, but at the same time it was. Tully understood the complexity of his statement so he said nothing to correct him. There was, ultimately, nothing to correct. And Juice's lips were once more bringing him to the edge. This time he didn't resist himself, and rose his hips upward, holding Juice's shoulders. His boy was ready like he knew it was happening and Tully's cock slid effortlessly down his throat. “Yess.” Tully moaned and then did it again. He didn't mindlessly thrust, though, like some part of his instincts wanted to. He couldn't hurt his boy; it was unthinkable.

Before it was too much Tully lowered his hips again giving Juice a breather. “G-good boy. My sweet wonderful boy...” He stroked his head with one hand, the other patting the back of his neck. “Beautiful.”

Juice nuzzled his groin again wordlessly. “Taste you?” Really he had been, Tully hadn't exactly stopped leaking copious precum. “Please, Papi?” He was still soft-voiced, panting with the effort he was putting forth.

For Tully. It was the least the shot-caller could do, reward his boy for working so hard. He stroked Juice's cheekbones now, like he had before. They weren't tear-streaked this time, Juice pressed his face into the touch. “Make me cum, my baby boy.” Tully felt Juice close his eyes and huff through his nose, a sound of happiness. And then the only thing Tully felt was heat and wet around his cock, then that gentle finger rubbing at and around his hole. It was the lava flow of his desire that hit Tully next, an onslaught of want as Juice sucked and touched and lapped on all the perfect spots. He panted, his hands keeping contact with Juice in gentle encouragement.

Not that his boy really needed it. He was so pleased to do this. Make Tully shudder, his breath hitch. He was so close to the edge Tully was tempted to beg. Still he didn't; Juice did though. In his way. He reached for one of Tully's hands with his own, pulling away until Tully gave it. “'S okay.”

Tully was about to question him, somehow in the haze of lust but it turned out he didn't need to. Juice brought the man's fingers to rest where they would press on Juice's throat if, no when, he dropped down on Tully's cock. Tully adjusted his grip so that he could hold Juice's throat instead. It was more comfortable. For a moment Juice waited, and Tully considered removing his hand. But he didn't. Couldn't deprive Juice of the opportunity to make himself feel good in whatever way he wanted. Tully had the power to do that for him, to help him. Tully took an inward breath and _growled_ in the way he knew Juice liked. “Boy. Stop teasing.”

Juice dropped down without a second's hesitation to think. Immediately he choked, bucking on the shaft in his mouth. Tully on the other hand moaned in pleasure as he balanced precariously near orgasm. Juice wasn't in distress; in fact he was pressing more downward clearly wanting Tully to do what he did best. Control his boy.

Tully squeezed, long fingers cutting off Juice's air. The boy shuddered with it and worked frantically now. It didn't take much. Tully tipped over the cliff, letting the pleasure of his climax take over most of his body; only the hand on Juice's throat didn't tense any more than it was. It was still incredible, flooding his boy's willing mouth with jet after jet of creamy cum. He'd missed it so badly, moaning softly as Juice coaxed his balls empty. Stopping, of course, before it hurt.

It wasn't until Tully felt Juice swallow beneath his fingers that he let go of that perfect throat. Tully rested his hand on Juice's head while the boy cleaned him up tenderly, helping him only by lifting his hips up so that Juice could slide his pants back up. Juice panted softly, remaining comfortably on Tully's legs while Tully himself caught his breath. At least for a few minutes, until Tully couldn't really bear to be so far away from his baby boy. He reached down for Juice's hands to tug on them and bring him up. Slowly, of course; Juice had exerted himself almost too much. Tully could almost feel the happiness though; the fluttering heart on his chest and the light nuzzle of his cheek against Tully's was evidence of that. “Good?” Juice whispered as he settled his chin at the juncture of Tully's neck and shoulder. Clearly he was comfortable enough resting here and it wasn't like Tully was put out.

He wrapped his arms around his boy, stroking his back. Not thinking about how not aroused he was despite giving Tully so much pleasure. Tully returned the movement and kissed his jawline near his ear. “Mmhm. Better than.” Another kiss and Juice shivered against him. “Thank you, baby boy.” Tully wasn't sure what he wanted to thank Juice for the most, so he didn't name anything specific.

“You're welcome.” Another smile on his skin and lightly Juice kissed the spot where his bolts were before he rested his head down. “Papi?” Whispers again.

“Mm?” Tully was a bit drowsy, but he kept his hands moving up and down Juice's spine. Encourage him to relax more; they could sleep like this it seemed.

Juice wrapped his arms upwards though the stretch on his bad side was a little slower. He managed though, and slipped his hands behind Tully's head so that he could hug him better properly. “Th-thank you. For trusting me. Lettin' me eat you out. Means a lot.” More of a smile.

Obviously Tully trusted him though he supposed that it was equally likely that Tully might have at best given him a beat down for crossing boundaries. No matter. The boy had taken a chance, and it paid off. Maybe he'd take more in the future. “I do trust you, my sweetheart.” Tully kissed him again, and continued his light touches until he settled his arms in one of the spots on Juice's lower back that hadn't been injured. “My wonderful baby boy. Makes me feel so good, fights for me. Takes good care of me...an' yourself, which makes me happy. Lets me take care of him..” With each statement he dropped little pecks on Juice's skin, light and gentle.

Juice yawned, warm with gratitude. “Papi?”

“Mm?”

“Thank you. F'r takin' care of me. Dunno what...I'd be without you. Or where.” Really they both knew; in the cold ground, his battle lost while having thought of himself as worthless. Juice took a shuddering breath, and he sounded like he was about to say something further. He remained quiet for a long time, and Tully was starting to drift off. He fought it though, until Juice spoke again. Finally he shook his head. “Later.” Before Tully could even scold him for hiding, “I'll tell you later. Promise.” That smile, sleepy now that he was letting it creep into him. “I kept my promise didn't I?”

It took a moment for Tully to realize what he was talking about. “This was your plan?” When Juice nodded, he chuckled deeply. “Naughty baby boy.” But he planted a few more kisses. “You can always plot this sort of thing. When you feel like it, beautiful,” because he needed to add that Tully only wanted it when Juice did, “And I'll like it plenty.” A yawn escaped him now and he squeezed his boy gently. “A'right.” Another long slow stroke and he could feel Juice drifting some more. “That's it my good boy. Sweet dreams for you, now.” Tully knew he'd have them, with the weight of his wonderful man on his chest, breathing quietly in his ear. “G'night, Juice.” _I love you._

 


	5. Chapter 5

As usual the sound of the prison began Tully's process of waking up, but Juice's gentle snoring and less gentle and more gross drooling on top of sped it up quite a bit quicker than usual. “C'mon, Juicey. Time to get up, baby.” While he was close Tully took the moment to inspect Juice's throat. He'd held onto it hard but not so hard it bruised, it seemed. That was good; Tully didn't think Juice could take any ribbing about it for the moment.

Of course Juice made mumbled protests, groaning at the early time that Tully was prodding him. “Don' wanna.” He didn't seem to have moved much from his place on top of the shot-caller. “Comfy.”

“Not sure how, you're laying on all the bony parts.” He had a little more padding than he used to, certainly, but Tully was still lean and pointy in many places. “Boy, c'mon. I gotta pee.” As Juice wiggled off of him, he snickered and smirked with the innuendo that Tully had inadvertently made. “Smartass.” But inside his heart was practically singing. It was almost like Juice was normal overnight. Perhaps even better than normal, if he was joking around. Tully shook his head with a smile on his face. He turned away, listening to the shifting on the bunk while he did his business. Juice hadn't gotten through the night unscathed; really it couldn't have been _that_ comfortable laying on top of another person. He wanted a little more sleep.

When he was done Tully cuddled up to him. “Coming to breakfast?” He kissed the back of Juice's skull. “Shouldn't be any unexpected visitors...” He was half-musing to himself, settling his schedule for the day. Only the morning, technically. The afternoon was reserved for Juice and getting clean. His scalp was starting to itch. Maybe he could sneak a little peek at his boy in the shower stall; after last night it might be something Juice would tolerate. “Just our shower later today.”

“Only if I getta look atchoo first.” Juice mumbled into the pillow, like he knew what dirty thoughts Tully had been thinking. Tully's pillow, that he had stolen. Already the older man's neck was starting to ache laying on Juice's. “'Less you changed your mind about 'nanas.”

Tully shook his head. “Still hate them.” It was a normal morning, and Tully's body was making clear what it wanted. That was how Juice had guessed what he was thinking about. Smart boy. He _seemed_ like he was game for something this morning, but did he really? Tully took stock of the young man laying in his arms. His boy wasn't languid in near sleep anymore; in fact he was tense. Trying to hide it, or maybe even trying to want it but not being able to. Tully's desire went away like he'd dumped a bucket of ice water on it. “Mm. Baby boy.” He moved, just enough to pull his groin away from places it wasn't wanted. His fingers searched out Juice's. “Do you want me to fuck you right now?” A very specific question. He knew Juice _wanted_ him, he was pretty sure that he wanted sex _eventually._ But now? That was what he wanted to know. “I won't be upset if you don't,” and of course that was the truth. “Don't try to lie to me.”

Juice deflated but his fingers tightened. Clearly caught out. Finally the boy sighed with only a small hitch. “Can't.” Defeated by his own mind, and honestly he was probably still too injured. “Wanna. With you. But I can't.” Yet again he sounded on the verge of tears.

“Shh. We have all the time in the world.” Another kiss this time on the nape of Juice's neck. “We take all the time you need.” No pressure; Tully had control over his bodily needs. Through his many years in prison it was more often that he didn't have anyone else with him. And it had never been like it was with Juice. A partnership, as much as you could have in prison anyway. Something like a relationship, even. Tully nuzzled him again. “Relax, beautiful boy. Sleep a little more, hm?”

Juice nodded and finally pressed his spine against Tully's chest once the other man had settled down. Still wanted to be close to his Papi, even as he couldn't really do more. Tully remained awake while Juice slipped into a doze. Part of him wondered how long he did have with Juice. It wasn't like he'd been sentenced to life; Tully would have known. But finding out the length of his sentence also meant finding out Juice's crimes and that still felt like crossing a line. Perhaps in a month or two, when his boy had more recovery time. It wasn't going to be less than six months; they would have kept him in jail if that had been the case and he had needed to be able to get to Lin. Probably a year. At least a year, Tully wagered. At this point in his own incarceration Tully was pretty good at guessing. He would just like to have an official number.

So at least a year to put his sweet man back together and give him enough of himself that he could stand on his own two feet on the outside. Not be institutionalized, not immediately need to return here. Tully loved him, but he wanted his boy to be free. His boy _needed_ to be free, deserved it. Juice could always visit. Even the conjugal sort.

Tully smirked at the thought. That was still a long way off, though. He lightly squeezed Juice, making his boy rumble. They had to get through the rest of the day. And the next, and the one after that. Each day at a time. “Hungry,” Juice mumbled, “How long 'til breffast?”

“Not too long. Do you want to get up and get ready?” They should. Especially with Juice's soreness it would take longer. It had clearly worsened with their activities the previous night. Pleasant and perfect though they had been.

His boy sighed, looking for a moment content to lay there and skip it despite his hunger. But ultimately he nodded and Tully kissed his cheek one more time before he got up himself. He made a movement to assist Juice like he had before but he was waved off. “I got this.”

He rose an eyebrow as he watched his boy struggle. Definitely too much physical activity, they'd have to go easy for a bit. Worth it, though, for the peace it had apparently bought Juice. There hadn't been any nightmares that night. Finally when his boy was upright Tully turned away. He had to get his own uniform on, brush his teeth, and do all the things that he usually did to prepare himself for the day. “Make sure you wa-” The sound of the sink cut him off. Juice, now gentle on his skin washed the tattoo. “Good.” Tully murmured glancing back to Juice's soft smile. He had a thought; that image of Juice in a cheerleading outfit coming back to him. “What do you think about joining me outside?”

“Yeah Pit, you're gonna turn into a ghost if you don't come out!” Nuke was leaning on the bars of his own cell, clearly watching them. Not lecherously, mostly. They were just the most interesting things going on. “'Sides ain't vitamin D good for getting better? They aren't going to give us orange juice for sure this mornin'.”

A soft huff, like a laugh, from his boy. “OJ has vitamin _C,_ Nuke.” A pause as he put the lotion on it. “But I'll come hang out.” Juice gave Tully a shy smile, seeming to want the older man's praise. He wouldn't say it out loud but Tully could read it in his eyes.

What else was Tully supposed to do? He really wanted to kiss Juice again, so he crossed the cell and semi-roughly, semi-gently wrapped an arm around his throat. Tully pulled him against his chest to plop one on his skull. For one moment Juice tense but then he relaxed into the hold tilting his chin up making so Tully's elbow slipped neatly into the spot it belonged. “Th's is okay.” Soft enough for only Tully to hear.

“Good.”

“Coupla damn queers.” Mickey's voice growled towards their cell door. It was still too early for him and he lacked manners. “C'n you please stop before breakfast? I don't wanna be sick _before_ we get to the food.”

Tully let Juice go and couldn't help the outright sashay to be able to lean on his door. Juice giggled quietly at how his hips were wiggling like some faggy queen. “What was that, Mickey?” Tully searched out the other man in the low light. “'Please let me teach the new prisoners class'? How very generous of you, brother. I'll make sure you're next on the roster.” It was for all newly incarcerated cons, or rather those who hadn't had a record of being in the California prison system. It was considered the most useless piece of shit assignment an old con could pick up and only the literally mentally disabled or the ass-kissers would volunteer. Most of the time the shot-callers of the prisons would use it as punishment as Tully was threatening now. Mickey especially hated it, as he wanted nothing to do with prisoners who weren't white or fit for the Brotherhood and he had to be some semblance of polite when teaching the class. It was an effective punishment for him. Second or not, Mickey was being rude and Tully was still in charge.

Wisely Mickey backed down with a grumbled apology and it was about this point that the cell doors opened for them to go to breakfast. As usual, it was crap. As usual, everyone complained about it. Nuke took particular insult from the runny eggs, while Juice's gripe was about the overcooked french toast. “But they did give us OJ.” The boy said with a grin, lifting it into a toast with Nuke before he downed it. “With pulp.” He scrunched his nose. This set off a debate around Tully about whether or not pulp was good, or bad. It didn't much matter to the shot-caller. He didn't like the taste of orange juice, either.

Breakfast ended without any problems, though on one look around the cafeteria Tully had made eye contact with the MC's man. A slick of pleasure ran through him when the other con dropped his gaze quickly, looking away from Tully. And he was still isolated, even better. The shot-caller looked back to his men. “Is anyone bringing cards? I'm feeling like a game of euchre.” He'd been so very sweet and cuddly with so many witnesses this morning, he needed to remind them that he was powerful too. A simple game outside did that as much as any ordered murder.

The groans around the table made Juice look around and then at Tully. “You're good?” That shy smile. “Me too. Least that's what everyone's said before. Bit outta practice.”

Tully rubbed his chin. His goatee was out of control; something to take care of in the shower later. “Alright, sweet boy.” A gesture and they all got up. Sluggishly, because none of them honestly _wanted_ to play Tully in the game.

Outside was warm and a little humid like it usually was here but it was early enough in the day that it wasn't blazing. Instead of splitting into two groups like usual they all herded around one of the tables. They might not have wanted to play, but watching Tully was always a pleasure. A vicious, hilarious pleasure. He sat, gesturing for Juice to sit next to him. They wouldn't be on the same team that way. Juice bumped Tully's shoulder, which Tully returned affectionately. So all surrounded knew it wasn't personal. Tentatively Mickey and Thierry sat across from them and the game began.

In the end Tully had to work extremely hard to keep his edge over Juice. The challenge was a breath of fresh air; he'd gotten used to playing weak opponents. His boy shrugged with that little smile when Tully played the winning hand. “Shit, Pitbull.” Mickey sounded genuinely impressed and Tully smirked at the blush that went all the way up to his scalp tattoos. “Wouldn't want to play you in poker.”

Juice shrugged as he gathered up the cards to shuffle. Tully's fingers had found their way onto his spine, and yet again he felt the boy jump when he touched. He hid it well from the men watching him. “Poker is too random,” and a little bit of pride slipped into his voice, “but I've gotten banned from two Indian casinos and one in Reno for counting cards.” Now a pause and he looked over to Tully. “I mean,” then he looked away, “it's not like it's Vegas or Atlantic City or anything. Not nearly good enough for that.”

Tully scoffed, as did Mickey and it was the other man who spoke. “Nah, I'm sure you're plenty good.” Mickey's eyes roamed Juice for a moment, and it made his boy lean backwards. Partially into Tully's touch, partially away from him. Mickey ignored it and lowered his voice. “I ain't saying nothing, Pit, but we got a tournament we're arranging. You know, casino stuff. I'll back you if you want in.”

His boy knew better than to get mixed up with gambling in prison, and shook his head before he glanced to Tully for confirmation. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mickey but I just play f'r fun.” He shrugged again and started dealing once more. “Bullshit's not against the rules, is it?”

There was a low round of laughter and Tully shook his head. “No betting, so not formally.” He explained as he picked up his hand of cards. “And Nuke's not playing so there's little chance of violence.”

“Hey!”

“You broke my nose, jackass.” Tully now laughed at the arguing between his muscle and the other man, knowing it wasn't going to go any further than little snipes. He bumped Juice's shoulder as he finished dealing, glad that the boy's concentration was mostly on making sure the cards were even. Anything to help normalize the little non-fights that happened so often, so that Juice wouldn't scare so badly. It wasn't like Tully could stop them. Or would; if he tried it would only lead to more explosive and bloody battles that they just couldn't afford.

The gang settled down. “Left of the dealer?” Juice nodded, and Tully smirked slightly as he looked at the rest of the cards. Aces first, and he had two which he set face down. “Ace.”

Mickey was predictable. “Bullshit,” which was followed by a “fuck” when Tully flipped the cards to show him he hadn't been lying.

It was two games of that, the second of which Juice shyly took before the end of yard time bell sounded. Of course, Pearson had to make an appearance. Tully had been rather pleased by her absence, and it couldn't have lasted, could it? “Ortiz, Tully. Shower time.” She stood by the door as they went in, gesturing. Like they didn't know where they were going. Tully bit his cheek to keep from asking her if she wouldn't mind not announcing it to the whole goddamn prison.

“Tully?” Juice murmured quietly at him once they were inside. “How's it different? By yourself?” He couldn't lean on Tully; Pearson was still watching them. It surprised the older man that Juice had never showered alone. Put simply the boy was a good candidate for the isolation, the safety of them even with the Sons' backing.

“Not that much, beautiful.” He glanced down into Juice's eyes. “Grab your shit, we get an escort to the showers.” Tully shrugged, and then realized he was going to have to warn his boy. “Escort sticks around, makes sure we don't get into any trouble.” He gave the boy a lecherous smile, though it was honestly less about that than their records that necessitated the minder. Tully's for violence, Juice's for self-harm. “Longer shower time.” He followed Juice into the cell to get their shower gear. “Shave time, too.” Tully rubbed his chin, considering the mess his goatee had grown into. He'd tame it today, maybe take it all off.

Juice gave him a crooked grin at that. “Really? Could bring the 'hawk back.”

“No.” Tully shook his head; he quite liked his boy shaved. The thought that he might do it all over himself, if Tully asked flashed through his mind. Then it was instantly shelved under the 'for later' bin. He reached, and gently stroked Juice's scalp. “Shaved all over, or you grow it out.” He didn't hide the smirk, knowing that his boy was refraining from commenting about his own half-buzzed hairstyle. Tully made the rules, after all. “We have a dress code.”

Juice dramatically sighed, like a petulant teenager. He was still smiling though, so Tully didn't worry about him. His boy safe in their cell was so different than Juice anywhere else. Vivacious and unafraid, though he looked to Tully for guidance. That was just what the shot-caller wanted; if only he could get Juice to do it outside of here. Be himself in front of others, and trust that Tully had his back. That even if he'd failed horribly in protecting him before, Tully would do everything in his considerable power to keep that from happening again. “What?” Juice's smile became more fearful. Tully had been staring too hard while he thought.

“Nothing, beautiful.” Tully stepped into his space to kiss his forehead. A clearing throat made him step back and look out into the hallway. Pearson and McManus were looking at the pair of them; Pearson glaring and McManus keeping a neutral stone face. “Look, the parade is here.” Tully turned and folded his arms to stare down Pearson. Really she was being entirely too challenging for his tastes.

Fortunately Juice was there to pull him back from his own desire to start back-talking her. Throwing himself in between Tully and disaster, like he'd done with Danny. Though this way was considerably less violent. “C'n I lead?” Juice was almost cute as he got right up to the bars looking at the two guards. Bravado, again. The uniforms scared him, Tully could see in the tension of his shoulders and back. “No one ever lets me lead the parade.”

Pearson's glare went away. She gestured to him to step back, face softened at his gentle manipulations. She might not like, might even hate, Tully but she still cared for Juice. Tully filed this away as he picked up his boy's shower gear as well as his own. It would come in handy if he ever needed to put the squeeze on the woman. Not that he'd do anything to actively hurt Juice, of course. Just a reminder to Pearson how much power he had over him. Tully tossed Juice his gear and followed him out.

McManus behind him the shot-caller watched as Juice fumbled with the gear and the cuffs that Pearson had placed on him. It was easy for Tully, having done this for so long but his boy was new to it. They got settled, and finally moved on their way. The halls were fairly empty as most of the others hadn't returned from the yard. Juice was up front as much as he could be allowed to be, scoping out which way they were going.

The walk was a short one, and quiet and they made their way to the shower stalls easily. It was a similar big room to the communal space, but it was divided into four tiled cells open at the top and front and a semi-transparent curtain acting as a doorway. A second curtain separated the cell in half, so that an inmate could keep their belongings in a semi-dry spot. A third guard, yet another one on Tully's take came up behind them so that the female guard could leave. Pearson couldn't exactly be their escort inside the shower, but they needed two watchers. As much watching would be done, anyway. Protocol was to keep one of the curtains drawn back at all times, so the guards could have a reasonably clear view of the inmates inside, but Tully paid well for the privilege of privacy. “'S quiet.”

Juice sounded thrilled with that as they both stepped into their stalls. If the circumstances had been different, Tully might have followed him at least for a quickie, but they were not and he'd have to hold out for that for later. “Mhm.” Tully heard Juice's clothes dropping as he took off his own. Carefully Tully hung them up and slipped into his shower shoes. He imagined Juice doing similar, but he couldn't be certain.

“Know what perks I'll pick up when I run the Brotherhood.” Juice's laugh was lost as the spray suddenly turned on. Tully chuckled, which mutated into his own laugh when Juice swore. “Shhhhit that's hot. Oh, god, that's so good. P-putting hot showers on the list of things to remember to ask for.” Tully tried not to think about how pornographic Juice sounded, and concentrated on getting himself wet, and then clean.

“It's not just for shot-callers,” McManus said above the noise, “long as you can pay.”

“Or are pretty enough.”

Judging by the fact that Juice didn't sputter or sound like he dropped the soap, Tully was probably the only one to hear the other guard's comment. It wasn't particularly funny, but he couldn't say anything about it while keeping it on the down-low from Juice. He'd have words with the other man, later. “Jackson never took advantage?” Presidents could usually afford the luxury. And if Jackson was good at one thing, it was taking advantage of things. People. Juice.

“Nuh uh.” Juice's face was under the water, Tully guessed, by how muffled the answer was. “Clay might've. Jax stayed with us when we were in.” Now a pause. “With them.” Correcting himself; it wasn't _us_ anymore it was _them._ This might have been a poor choice of conversation so vulnerable here. Juice must have thought so as well, but instead of lapsing into silence he changed the subject. “You got family? On the outside?” _If you want to talk about it_ was always implied. “Other than Will.”

The banality of it made Tully grin as he bent to wash his legs. Next week he'd need to shave, they were looking too forested for his tastes. “Only child, my folks took one look at me and decided not to have any more.” He waited for McManus to make some comment about his parentage, but it never came. Wising up, apparently. Or he was willing to snark about Tully through a proxy now. The Scot would love that. “My father and I weren't close, still aren't.” He now ducked his head again to soak his hair. Better if it were cold, but the small sounds of a very happy boy on the other side of the tile made him okay with the heat.

“Your mom?”

That opened up an ache. “She--” Tully stilled a moment, letting the water run over him. “She passed, about a year ago. Early last year.”

Juice was quiet but Tully heard him well enough. “I'm sorry.”

“Thank you, baby.” The concern in Juice's voice touched him and again he wanted to go over there. Draw him close under the spray just so he could feel another person with him. Now he needed to change the subject. “We _were_ close, even with everything that happened. The band, my incarceration, my....rise to power.” There. Enough hooks that if Juice were interested, and smart, he'd pick one to talk about.

“Band?” Another small laugh, and Tully could picture the smile. “Seriously?”

“You can't imagine it, Pitbull?” McManus spoke up. They ignored the use of the boy's nickname, though Tully was fairly certain it was so that Juice didn't spook. Make this a casual environment. “Death metal, I shit you not there's videos on the internet. Tully had long hair. Long long hair.” McManus snickered, clearly bragging over the information that he had on Tully, useless though it was.

“Oi. It was oi, not death metal.” Tully had to put the disdain in his voice before the bragging got out of hand. Really, McManus was going down Kiefer's path of greed and arrogance and Tully had to nip it in the bud right away. “Very different. And it was _very brief_ for a reason. Mostly I used it to get in touch with people who shared my views. _Our_ views, mm?” A reminder, harsh and blunt, that Tully had information over McManus that would harm him more than any that he might have over Tully.

Juice made a sound in the next stall. “Wha's oi?” Not relaxed anymore, goddamnit McManus. Tully wanted to stick his head from the curtain to glare at the guard, but instead he started to shampoo.

“Punk, stripped down to the barest bone. Nothing pretentious, just _feeling._ Working class shit, that's what we sang about.” Tully shrugged even if Juice couldn't see it. “Rebellion and government harassment and not having a job unless your daddy could get you one at the factory which got harder and harder every year.” His backwoods accent slipped, and Tully reigned it in. “And yes, my hair was long. Had to look different than the rest of the skinheads.”

Silence from Juice for a little while, except the sounds of movement while he washed. It was clearly slower going for him even if he didn't have to scrub his hair. Still pain and while the heat might have loosened things up he still wasn't really moving well. “Sounds like music I heard in Ireland. From bands on both sides of the conflict. Lot of young guys who only knew war, I guess, but maybe didn't see the point to it because there was bigger shit for them. Unemployment, like you said.”

“It makes sense you heard it, the sound came from England specifically.” Another shrug and Tully rinsed the conditioner out now. Officially he didn't need any more time, but he could spend it under the water as long as he was allowed. “I could see it spreading even to Northern Ireland from there. How are you doing, sweetheart?”

“Slow. But it's better 'n the sponge bath, even if the nurses were hot.”

“Most of them.” McManus snorted.

“Most of them.” Juice agreed and sighed. Tully wasn't sure what it was that was causing him to make that sad sound. “That one bitch was on a hell of a power trip.” Now a shudder; the shot-caller knew that sound intimately and he stepped out of the spray so he could hear better. “An' don't apologize again, Aaron. You were jus' doing what you had to. Please, don't.”

Tully cleared his throat. Clearly they'd forgotten that he was there and his anger was rising. Not at Juice, never at Juice especially when his voice sounded once more sad and broken. But McManus, he'd direct his rage towards the other guard. “I do so hate missing the goings-on in my prison.” He kept his voice clipped. If McManus took advantage of Juice while he was in the _hospital_ then god help him he wasn't going to walk out of Stockton alive.

“Tully.” Juice's voice was soft; he must have stepped out of the water too. “He didn't do anything. Bitch nurse was on a power trip, thought I was resisting her or some stupid shit like that.” His boy snorted and Tully kept his tongue so that Juice would speak more. “He did the security thing cuz he had to. He kept her away, after, like I told you he did. I ain't mad.” Telling his Papi that he shouldn't be either, silently, and Tully took it. Let his fire burn out under the cool of Juice's gentle reassurances. He had a feeling there was more to the story, but this had to be enough for now. “You done?”

Juice didn't sound eager to leave, and it made Tully curious. “Mmhm.”

“C'n you come over and wash my back? I won't peek.” Juice sighed, frustrated by his limitations. “Jus' can't reach it.”

Tully pulled on his pants, and then his top. They were the old set, so he didn't bother drying beforehand. He stuck his head out of the stall, raising an eyebrow at the pair of guards. Really it was a courtesy check-in; Tully would have done it regardless of whether or not they said okay. McManus waved him over and Tully padded into the other shower. He made sure to close the curtain behind him; Juice's naked body was going to be for his eyes only. “Hey, baby.”

Juice had his back to the opening, head under the spray. He didn't startle much, hearing Tully but it was still a startle. The shot-caller wasn't paying attention; his mouth had gone dry seeing the whole of Juice before him in the nude. Of course he'd felt it, gotten glimpses of the lightly browned skin but he'd never seen the chiseled body as a whole. “Mm.” Tully let the appreciative sound slip out as he pulled the shirt off and let the pants fall down.

“'M not looking.” Juice reiterated before he held up the washcloth. It was soaped up and ready.

“I did say _you_ could.” Tully found himself reminding the boy, and really even giving him permission to turn around if he wished. Look at more than just Tully's ass. Juice didn't move and Tully took the washcloth. Lightly he drew it across Juice's shoulders. “So beautiful.” Tully could get used to this. The privacy of it, taking care of his boy in yet another primal way like feeding him was. Every once in a while, he decided. When Juice was better, Tully could take him in here and wash them both. Now he moved slowly, keeping one hand on Juice's shoulder at the same time. His fingers sought out the knots there, of which his boy had so very many. “Relax, baby. You're safe.” Tully knew he had to keep Juice's focus elsewhere, instead of on the hand at his back. Tully had finally gathered that touch there brought nasty memories to the surface. “Just me and you.”

Juice was quiet but Tully could feel how his boy _was_ starting to relax. Turn to putty in his hands. “How long w's it? Your hair?”

He considered just telling, but another idea came to him. “Hand?” Juice reached back with the one he could move in that way without stressing his ribs, and Tully took it. Lightly he moved Juice's fingers until there were pressed very gently on his own chest. He knew Juice felt the pebbling of the nipple his fingers were barely brushing. “There.” Tully murmured, wishing he could see Juice's face but the slight heaving of his chest gave Tully a good idea what it looked like. Filled with surprise and maybe, possibly, want. He wanted, of course. His other hand delicately washed what seemed to be the most sensitive spot on his back while Juice was distracted, studiously ignoring his own arousal so his cock didn't rise beyond half-staff. Juice wasn't nearly close enough to notice it, fortunately.

The whole plan seemed to work. “That's very long.” Juice didn't speak loudly. He moved his hand back having realized that Tully released it, though Tully's skin still tingled like the touch remained. “Hacked it all off in one go?”

“Nuh uh. Little bit at a time over the years. All good.” Tully stepped back, dropping the washcloth in the little tray next to Juice and turned around as well. Not that he didn't _want_ to look, but it felt like he shouldn't. “Make sure you rinse before they shut off the water.” He heard the change in the water splashing down as Juice did exactly as ordered.

The noise that came out of his boy was an unafraid sound of desire and Tully smirked to himself. A very small part of him was relieved that Juice liked what he saw, not just the mental image he'd constructed of what he'd touched in the dark. “Th' eagle is gonna look cool.” His boy spoke only loud enough to be heard over the din of the water. The outlines were there, they were just slowly working on detail. It was a good way for Juice to let Tully know that he'd seen what Tully was showing him without being obscene about it. At least not now, with an audience.

“Thank you.” Tully got re-dressed and went back to his stall to properly dry off. The water did abruptly stop just as Tully draped his towel around his shoulders.

Juice made a small sad sound, already missing the warm soothing water it seemed. “And the tree.” His voice was closer as he moved to clothe himself. “Morbid but...beautiful.”

“Baudelaire is that way. I'll get it for you.” Tully smiled, knowing that while the boy might have been a voracious reader, he was introducing him to a genre he wasn't previously interested in. Made Tully's chest warm in the best way. He was doing good for Juice, making his boy better. “Will likes it for that reason.” Tully let out a snort. “I just like the darkness. The morbid part.”

Juice laughed a little. “Fuck 'em all, you do you. I get it. Living the outlaw shit, in a way.”

As he stepped out Tully hummed. “In my own damn way.” He got to the mirror, leaning against the sink while Juice finished dressing too. Slowly, of course though the warm water and the slight backrub had seemed to help judging by the sounds. “Got me this far. Why stop?” He looked at his reflection. If he did stop, it would be because of the young man behind him. But Juice wasn't going to know that anytime soon. “Clean it up, baby, or shave it all off?” Tully rubbed his chin, not sure on which he'd rather do.

“Shave it. You c'n get away with having no beard.” Juice finally came out of the shower stall. His pants were hanging low but he didn't wear his shirt. Tully's eyes visibly widened, seeing the muscular chest in front of him. The two tattooed skulls stood out in sharp contrast to the rest of Juice's skin, and even his ink was far less black than those two pieces. Tully noted, and then mentally erased “Son” and “Shine.” He'd ask about their meaning another time. Maybe after they were gone.

He knew he was giving Juice the elevator eyes, so he didn't stop himself from doing it again. There was the roughest outline of a six pack, softened by his enforced down time. Even despite that, his boy was singularly _hot._ Tully had felt him, felt the perfect V of his hips but seeing that perfect body was another matter entirely. Finally he smirked when he met Juice's beautiful brown eyes again; his own pupils were blown wide. “I-I mean I look about 12 without...” Juice stuttered but it wasn't out of fear. Embarrassment, maybe, that Tully was so hungry for him. Even still, with all that he'd gone through.

What did the boy think? Of course Tully wanted him, especially after last night's performance. “Without it is.” The shot-caller turned away. Give Juice a moment to compose himself. He needed it, he could hear his boy panting again. “Anytime, gentlemen.” Tully spoke to the guards holding out his hand for the razor.

“Keep your pants on, Tully.” McManus set the can of shaving cream in between the pair and handed each their razor. _Please_ keep them on.” People kept telling him that and Tully wasn't sure why. He preferred to screw in private, after all.

Tully merely smirked and squirted a small amount of foam onto his fingertips. “Yes, we get the whole can. Don't go crazy.” He'd spotted Juice staring at it. “Should I be watching my back, baby boy?” He teased as he worked the foam into his goatee.

“Sh-shit no. Just. _Goddamn.”_ Juice turned fully to him but then back to face the mirror when he realized Tully was joking. The change in position made the light glint on an oddity on Juice's back. It had been previously concealed by the bruising, and the fact that Juice protected that side more but now it was visible.

“What's that?” Tully very barely tapped it. A scar; now that it was beneath his fingers he could tell better. Then he released Juice, going back to the task at hand. Neck clean, first. He would have done that even if he'd decided to keep the goatee. Tully wasn't an animal.

“Wha--? Oh.” Juice didn't jump, for once. He smiled a bit as he smeared the foam on his face. “Uh...it was a few years back. Th' club got hired to take care of an...African-American gentleman to get some kind of information or another. He...” Juice looked into the mirror, giving a half smile as he picked up the razor to work down one side of his jaw. Tully followed the movement with his eyes; that was a beautiful strong jawline. “...He liked his partners young, dumb, and Puerto Rican.”

“You aren't dumb.” Tully waited for the shudder, but it never came.

“He didn't do anything. I just got the 'honor' of bein' bait. Th' club did their part. But later his men took offense at _my_ part in it and stuck me in the back in th' yard.” A half-shrug and then he straightened, clearly remembering something. “This ATF cunt came in an' visited me in the clinic. Tried to get me to rat then. Bitch really hated th' club. Fucked her career up good, eventually and then....” Juice mimicked a gun with his two fingers. Then he looked over at the pair of guards. Not that they were paying attention. Much. Not enough to hear details but Juice lowered his voice anyway. “Opie. She got his old lady murdered so.” Juice shrugged again, shaking his head. “I told her to stick it. Couldn't do that now.”

Tully leaned back, caught McManus' eye and gestured. The pair left, sort of. They were just outside, where they could hear any scuffles.

“You could. You would.” Tully had kept shaving as Juice spoke. It was slow going; he needed to do it well. Any missed spots would look awful. He wished for a straight razor; Will had one and he had quite a gift for using it perfectly. “If you really needed. Not that you're going to need it, we haven't got that kind of federal pressure.” Just another way Tully was better at his job than Jackson.

“Really?” It was a bit muffled as Juice cleaned up his mustache. “I'da thought...”

Tully shouldn't share more than that. Not with Juice, not with anyone who wasn't his rank. But his boy was curious, and it couldn't hurt. “It's to their advantage to keep the prison gangs around. Certainly we bring in crime of our own but we maintain more control than they ever could.” Tully gestured, meaning the guards. “Without us it would basically be petty street fighting at best. Or worst for them, we as inmates would bind as one together.” Tully tapped his razor on the sink, rinsing it. “And then they couldn't possibly beat us. So they leave us alone to do our job. Well, do their job for them.”

Juice looked at him, that line between his eyebrows. “It'd be the first, probably.”

“Mmhm.” Tully felt for stragglers. “AB, Eme--”

“Eme?”

“Mafia. Black Guerrilla Family. Even the Triads, we keep this place from being knee deep in corpses.” Tully firmly believed that. Yes their presence was not exactly good, but it was the lesser evil. His affiliation and rank meant power and perks. Side benefits, ultimately. No matter how big they were.

Juice nodded rinsing his own razor. “Delicate, though. Like I said. Really wouldn't wan' your job.”

“Very delicate. Rewarding.” Tully wiped his face, looking to Juice. That boy looking up to him was one of those rewards. “Miss anything?”

For a second his boy hesitated but he reached up, lightly brushing Tully's chin with damp fingertips. Tully smiled beneath them and gave those shower softened pads a kiss. “N-nah, you're good.” Juice was blushing as he pulled them away. He turned back then, to finish what he was doing. Juice's face was a little more fiddly than Tully's, after all. “I'll do m'head next week.”

Tully hummed, looking down as he rinsed his own face. Juice looked a little tired though it was unlikely he'd admit it. This had been a lot of work. “Be enough to take off then.” It was Tully's way of telling his boy that was acceptable. “Put your shirt on, mm?” He glanced towards where the guards had gone. They were still not listening, so Tully dipped down, whispering into Juice's ear. “Not that I don't like the view, baby.”

Juice swallowed. “I liked yours, too.” The boy almost giggled as he pressed a kiss to Tully's cheek and padded away to do exactly as Tully told him to.

The man watched that retreating back, bruised and battered but still goddamn standing. It was, and likely always would be, amazing to see just what Juice could take and continue on. More terrible people had used that against him, abused Juice and his natural desire for family knowing that he would keep returning to them. Tully didn't want to do that. He wanted to uplift his boy. Tully whistled softly, not at Juice but at the guards. They could come back in, collect the shaving cream and the razors. Both of them sat on the sink, and the part of him that was a long-term con was glad that Juice hadn't concealed his own somewhere to use it against Tully. The shot-caller banished the thought and disappeared into his own stall to grab the rest of his stuff.

Pearson didn't return to escort them back so once more Tully let McManus take Juice back to the cell. A wolf-whistle or two floated past them as they walked, but it wasn't directed at Juice. Apparently Tully's men approved of his clean-shaven look.

They made it just in time to meet Cornelius. “Anything you gentlemen need?”

Juice shook his head as he stuck his dirty clothes in their hamper, but Tully did. “Baudelaire.” He handed over the other poetry book; it just wasn't what he had been looking for though his rendition of “Jabberwocky” still put Juice in tears of laughter.

Cornelius just quietly chuckled and handed him the book. “I'm surprised you don't own a copy.”

Tully knew his name was on Cornelius' list more times than any other person for this book. “I do. My brother's got it.” They'd trade, Bronte for Baudelaire soon enough. A year; relatively soon anyway. With their business concluded Cornelius moved off and Tully sat down on the bed. Juice was already there, his own book on his lap but he was just staring at it. “Are you alright, my sweet boy?”

His boy nodded, and shifted so he could snuggle comfortably against Tully. “Jus' a nice shower.” He reached and very softly stroked Tully's chin like he had before. Of course the older man rewarded the free touching with more little kisses on his fingertips. “Could nap.” Juice looked up to him, continuing to speak even as he seemed to consider settling even closer. “Thank you.”

“For?” Tully wrapped an arm around Juice so he could pet the boy. “Did you moisturize, baby?”

Juice nodded. “Helping. Been feeling better,” there he broke into that wonderful smile, “in case you haven't noticed.”

“I have.” He let himself chuckle and give Juice a squeeze. He loved these quiet moments in their cell together. “I'm proud of you. But don't strain yourself too much, sweet boy. You're still healing, body _and_ mind.” Tully kissed the top of his scalp; his bare chin brushing on Juice was a unique sensation. “Fact if you wish to nap, you can and should. We have some time before lunch, mm? And you're coming out with us again.” No room for argument but Juice didn't seem inclined. Just shifted his book over and rested his head all the way on Tully's chest. “Good boy.” Another kiss and Tully opened up the well-worn book. On one side was the original French, and the other was English translations. “I keep thinking I should have Froggy read these to me in the original language.”

“He's from Quebec, it won't be the same.” Juice mumbled into Tully's chest. “You could learn?”

“Maybe.” Tully had an ear for music, but languages were different. “Hm. 'In my brain there walks about, as though he were in his own home'...”

Juice didn't fall asleep all the way but once more he was boneless in Tully's hold. “Still with me, pretty boy?” He stroked Juice's back and got a muffled sound of agreement. “Good.” Tully leaned and gave him a kiss, noticing that Juice had a small smile on his face. “What are you thinking about?”

“Th' view.” Juice almost giggled against him, just nuzzled Tully's chest. “Almost got a full picture. Of you, I mean. 'M an ass man. Your ass. 'N your damn legs, shit. Chest. You're hot, Tully.” He took a deep breath, and Tully just waited though he was flushed with all the compliments. His boy seemed willing to talk, somewhere in that spot between awake and asleep, and he wanted to hear what Juice had to say. Tully's fingers worked gently up and down, as encouraging as he could make them. “And more important. Y-you're so...nice. I mean,” Juice shook his head and Tully squeezed him, “That's lame sounding but it's true. I wish I could do more for you, Papi.”

“I told you. You do enough for me by just living, baby boy.” And that was the truth; Juice fighting, _living_ and not just surviving was really a breath of fresh air that Tully couldn't seem to get enough of. So many people here were interested only in doing their time, not bettering themselves or making themselves happy at the very least. Certainly it was prison, but that didn't mean they were stuck. Tully bent his head though, murmuring into Juice's ear. “Though next week I wanna fuck your mouth in the shower.” Really, he shouldn't get himself interested that way; he was going to give himself a shower fetish. It was only a temporary arrangement until Juice was healed and then he'd have to pay. Or figure out how to change his circumstances so that he didn't have to, much like he'd moved Juice in with him. Tully hummed in pleasure when Juice's neck flushed. “As long as you're up to it.” He felt the need to add on, so that his boy didn't push himself too fast in order to make Tully happy.

Juice shuddered, in a good way at the whispering. “Wanna. Will. Before then, too.” That smile, light and then suddenly mischievous. “After lunch, when everyone's in the showers?”

The boldness of it made Tully laugh and dip his head to cover Juice's forehead and nose with soft kisses. It was like last night had opened up a dam in the boy that he had to stem just a little bit. That was his job, after all. “Sweet boy, I've missed you too but we can take it slow.” Less _can_ more _will_ but Tully didn't have to say that out loud. His groin argued with him, but Tully had self control and besides. At some point he wanted to be able to reciprocate or hell even initiate. It might be sooner that Tully believed at first, but he would still remain in charge and make that decision. The man once again kissed Juice, wrapping his free arm around to be able to hug him properly. Juice sighed in pleasure, breath only hitching a bit. “My little minx.”

Juice grinned but didn't respond. He liked that one, Tully made note to remember it for later. Juice didn't have time to say anything further, before the sounds of the prison signaled that it was finally time for lunch. “Damn, Tully.” Nuke whistled as they sat down with the usual tray full of carbs. Juice was making an effort to sit up straight, and not look like he was going to jump at every shadow. “Makes me want to take off mine.” Nuke rubbed his face and the thick mustache that was there.

“Grow it out. No one really wants to see your ugly mug.” Tully couldn't help himself; he smirked as he took a bite of the cheese sandwich and then swallowed. “Especially not my ex, before you even say otherwise.”

The table around them jeered and Nuke merely rolled his eyes. “Mmph. Me an' Pit, we'll show you the ways of the Beard.” Nuke didn't seem to be aware of the other meaning of “beard” though the way Juice was biting his lip, the younger man did. The big con put his arm around the boy, pulling him close with a smirk. “Be drowning in pussy by the end of the week with our manly facial hair.” Tully shot Nuke a dirty look, a silent order to get his hands off of his boy. “Real mountain men.” He was oblivious to it, though.

Juice merely wiggled out of it, not that Nuke was keeping him too tight. “I don't look that good in plaid, man. And have you seen a brown guy who can grow a full set of facial hair?” He snickered quietly, giving that self deprecating smile, before he took a sip of his milk. “Also, something something fags can't be--.”

“ _I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay._ ” Tully didn't often sing anymore, but the old comedy sketch bubbled up out of him. It made the men roar with laughter. Tully, for his part, just smirked at Juice now who was gaping at him. “What was that, boy?” It sounded playful, but Tully was serious beneath it. There wasn't anything that Juice couldn't be, even if it was as silly as wanting to be a lumberjack. Figuratively speaking, anyway. His boy would always be the one taking it up the ass, but other than that he could be as masculine as he wanted.

Now Juice was squirming under Tully's gaze. He figured it was enough discomfort for one meal and looked past him around the cafeteria. Give him a break and find out what else was going on with the other gangs. Nothing of note, fortunately. Seemed like everything was as quiet as it could get in the prison. A calm before the storm, probably. The new inmates would throw everything into chaos; Tully only hoped that Nuke was doing his job like he'd been told. Suddenly Mickey sat down beside the shot-caller, looking more surly than usual. “Rained out.”

The table that had still been echoing with laughter grew quiet as well. “Really?” Nuke pouted, the sight of which always made Tully smirk. It was a predicament. His men needed their outlet.

“C-can we use th' indoor track?” Juice braved, and Tully looked back to him. Giving him the look that said that he was proud, because he was. Juice hadn't folded in on himself from the gentle teasing of them, he was pushing back. A big thing for the boy who seemed to be another person outside of the cell. “I'll....even do a lap with you guys. If I can.”

Juice always had to surprise him and Tully actually gave him a smile. One long leg reached out to lightly stroke Juice's shin in reward. Mickey might have felt the shifting because he gave Tully a strange look, but Nuke was rubbing his mustache in thought. “Yeah, that sounds good. Boss, you an' Pit both do a lap with us. We'll go slow for you old men ow fuck Tully!” Tully had adjusted his soothing footsie to kick Nuke. The man wouldn't retaliate; it was really the only way to get through to him when he was busy thinking about exercise. Not that Tully didn't think it was a good idea, he was just being rude. “Christ, fine. Will you an' Pit come do a lap with us?”

“Better, and yes.” Tully returned his feet under him and went back to his food. “Just one, though. I have work to do.” Better it be about him than Juice's weakness, though no doubt they all knew the truth.

The meal finished without any more problems or spats, and they moved in their usual circle to the indoor gym. Honestly Tully liked it better than being outside; it had all the same amenities but without the relentless California sun. There was the smaller space to contend with, which meant more potential for problems. That meant having to contend with more guards while trying to conduct business, but Tully usually managed.

Juice looked a little uncertain now that they were there, even though it had been his idea. Right now it was no more crowded than the mess but they weren't safely situated at their tables. The room seemed smaller because of it. “C'mon, Pit.” Mickey growled not unkindly. Well, Tully knew it wasn't. Juice glanced over to his second to make sure he was hearing right. Tully lightly pressed one hand to his boy's back guiding him onto the track in assurance that Mickey was just being his usual gruff self. They maneuvered away from the runners on the inside lanes, taking the outside. Mickey stayed with them while the muscle burned off their endless energy.

“I used to run track in high school.” Juice glanced towards the other lanes and Tully could spot something like longing in those pretty brown eyes. “Distance. Didn't keep it up when I moved out here.” The look conflicted with how he sounded; it wasn't disappointment like Tully might have figured. Hard to tell what his boy was thinking.

Tully hummed, scanning the room. He had to remember to shorten his long stride for the men with him. “Might be good to pick it back up.” Testing Juice's real feelings on the matter. Of course, if he was amenable Tully could watch him run shirtless. And in shorts. “Once you're healed, of course.”

“Good way to be able to last a while in a fight.” Mickey added, his own head on a swivel. They were a quarter of the way around, now. “Not that you should be fighting.” They'd passed a guard who gave them the hairy eyeball.

“I—it was nice, I guess.” Juice was clearly thinking about the past, about maybe doing what Tully was suggesting when he had the capability to. “I mean. Just you and the road.” He shrugged and straightened from the slouch he'd fallen into. “Like riding. Huh.” Juice hadn't considered it before, obviously. Tully smirked at that and reached over, rubbing his boy's head affectionately. “Hey!” Juice blushed.

“You're cute.” Tully responded. He caught Mickey's eye roll and head shake. He kept the topic on school. “I....went to Catholic school. Briefly. They didn't exactly appreciate my dealing in candy and rock music, and expelled me.” He laughed, and then the other two did. “Had to finish in public school.”

“Tully's been a businessman for a while, eh?” Juice grinned at Mickey. “An _illicit_ one, even.” That was said with the air of a conspiracy as they'd passed yet another guard. Halfway; Tully had to slow down again. Juice was breathing a bit hard.

“Yeah. Since you were in short-shorts.” Mickey smirked with the dig at Tully's age. Or Juice's, either way he was making commentary on the difference between them. Payback for how _together_ they'd been acting, Tully figured. Like they were boyfriends, like they'd have acted on the outside. The shot-caller wasn't sure it bothered him to be seen like that, though maybe they should leave it for the dark of night. Just so he didn't suddenly find himself on the wrong side of another stabbing. Or worse, finding Juice on the wrong side of one.

“You're just jealous you ain't got his cute butt. Or any cute butt.” Tully drawled. “Maybe some of the new fishies will be to your liking.” He wanted to drape an arm over Juice, but there were just too many eyes. So much for wanting to leave the affection for nighttime.

“Doubt it.” Mickey grumbled. “Ain't gonna be anyone like... her.”

“You ought to not pine, brother.” Tully would have patted his shoulder but he was too far and Juice, solidly focused on the track in front of him, was in between them. It finally occurred to him that Mickey might _actually_ have been jealous. He'd found the kind of companionship that Tully did, and lost it. “Miss Van Dam wouldn't want you to.”

At that Juice sputtered, looking to stare at Mickey with wide eyes and a wince. “You an' _Venus_ had a thing?”

“California DOC says Vincent, but....Venus and I...” Mickey got that dreamy tone when he talked about the lady, and Tully had to keep him on the track. “You know her?”

“Uh. Yeah. Club, through the club.” He glanced around making sure he wasn't being overheard by someone who might take offense. “She helped us, them. Shit,” that part was more muttered, “Them with some...pictures.” The boy lit up with the memory, clearly a good one with the amusement on his face. “Th-they helped her too. With some other stuff.” Juice shrugged and did another look around though they hadn't gone far from their previous position. Any of the others close enough to maybe hear were too into their own conversations or exercise.

Mickey nodded and looked over Juice's head to Tully. He could tell his second wanted more from the boy, just from his eyes. Tully minutely shook his head. Mickey couldn't ask, Juice would have to offer. The other man looked away and Tully took the opportunity to survey the boy. He was chewing on his lip though he'd stopped puffing. Clearly making some kind of argument with himself. “I, uh. Don't get angry a-at me, Mickey?”

“I won't.” At least not obviously or immediately.

“Th-think she's one of th-the old la-ladies now. F-for the VP.” Juice tensed, slouching and waiting for it to get physical even if Mickey had said he wouldn't. The return of the anxious stammering made Tully's heart hurt. “B-but I c-could see if sh-she could still visit. S-say hi.” Trying to make it better, so he wouldn't be shot just for being the messenger. Tully was conflicted with the offer. Trying to get in good with the rest of the AB, taking that chance like he might have for the Club. But opening communications with the motorcycle gang? That wasn't a step forward, it was back.

He needn't have worried about his next actions because after another quarter of a lap of silence, Mickey shook his head. “Don't worry about it, Pitbull.” Mickey did step away, crossing behind them quickly to get into the inside track. Run off his upset.

Juice couldn't follow him. In fact as they rounded to finish the last quarter Tully noted his limp was kicking up. A quarter mile at even that slowish pace was too much, apparently. “Alright, beautiful. We promised them one lap.” It wasn't a suggestion. Tully steered him out of the track, and to what was his usual place to perch on the bleachers. Close to the wall, and the echo here alerted him to people behind him. Juice sat dejectedly, watching Mickey catch up and then pass Nuke. “He's not mad at you.” Tully sat beside him.

“I shouldn't have told him.” Juice sighed.

Tully shook his head, once more wanting to touch his boy to soothe him. “It's been four years since she was here, and they were only a thing for the last few months of her incarceration.” He held back a chuckle. “We've been tryin' to get him to move on for a while, baby boy.” A thought, then and Tully's breath escaped with a quiet sound. “He didn't believe anyone before. He must like you if he believed you.”

Juice sighed. He couldn't lean back, so he remained with his elbows on his knees. The boy was quiet, and so was Tully for a while. “Would you have done it for him, or yourself?” Tully watched him, stretching out his legs and crossing them casually. Juice's gaze flicked over to him, brown eyes meeting hazel for a moment before he looked away. He let out another sigh, deeper this time. “There's a lot to that sound, baby.” Tully leaned and bumped shoulders with him. “Take your time.” His boy would answer the question eventually.

“I--” He lapsed into silence, then tried again. “Venus an' I got along. An' Tig and me, we weren't _close_ like me and Chibs but we got along too. Friends.” Juice looked to the ceiling like he would find answers there. Maybe he would; Tully just let him think and talk. The shot-caller made no comment on Juice revealing his relationship to the Club's president. The boy might clam up. “I don't wanna talk to Tig. He wouldn't want me to either. But Venus...” Now Juice searched out Mickey, still doing laps. “Mickey deserves closure. Wanna be able to give it to him. Maybe,” and now Juice finally looked to Tully, “maybe because I can't really have it.” A final sigh this one a bit stuttered. Pain internal or external, Tully couldn't tell. He guessed it was both with the way Juice rubbed his bad knee, staring back out onto the track. “He doesn't need it, does he?”

Tully didn't have a chance to respond. Juice just continued. “He doesn't. So that just leaves... just talking with Venus for myself. So I can talk to someone from before. I can't-- I can't have that, even if she's nice and talks back because it won't be the same. It's not going to be the same. Ever. E-even if I want it to be...” Juice held back a whimper but he wiped his eyes with one hand. “Shit.”

“My smart, sweet boy.” Tully rumbled and chanced the punishment from the guards. He leaned over and gave Juice a little kiss on the cheek. He'd figured that was ultimately the boy's reasoning, even if Juice didn't know it. “Nothing wrong with wanting to help a friend,” Tully let his smirk come and go; Mickey probably wouldn't like the designation, “but just check and be honest with yourself _why._ Whether or not you go through it after is your choice but check, first.” Tully gently nuzzled him again and moved back before he got into trouble. “Your heart was in the right place, baby but sometimes hearts have other motives that we don't see til we think about it.”

Juice wiped his eyes again and nodded. “I guess. Are you sure he won't be mad?” He sought out, and found, Mickey.

Tully shook his head, now leaning back against the bleacher bench. “Nah. No more than he usually is at the world.” That drew a smile from Juice. “Now, what shall we do while the rest of them are showering?” He rubbed his bare chin.

“I was thinkin' about doing more homework.” Now that sly smile, suggesting he could put it off if Tully wanted to partake in other activities while they had privacy.

The shot-caller was very tempted but realistically Juice didn't need the strain. It did make his chest warm a bit, to be the one that reined Juice in instead of the other way around. He had control, over both himself and the boy. “When do you want to take the tests?” He reached and pat Juice's knee gently in promise for later. Tully wasn't a saint after all.

“Few months, maybe? Get through this book, first.” Juice shrugged slightly as he dropped the subject of sex. “It'll be a few weeks before I really need library access.” The end of yard time signaled and Tully got up. He turned to help Juice up without thinking about who might be watching. Who might see the boy's, and his, weakness. Too late now; he couldn't leave his boy hanging and besides, a few in the gym had probably seen that Juice only made it around one lap before he started limping. He just braced while Juice took his hands and pulled himself up. “Thanks.” The boy was blushing anyway.

“Tully, I beat a PR!” Nuke was excited like a child might be but he immediately lowered his voice once he saw the flinch from the boy in front of him. “Sub four minute mile.”

“Nice.” Juice actually turned around to look at Nuke with a grin. Tully took advantage of Juice's distraction to check in with Mickey. He seemed okay; worn out and not just physically. A shower would do him good. “Lowest I ever got was four and a half.”

“You ran too? Never woulda guess with how I kicked your ass that one time.”

Juice just laughed and shrugged before he turned around. “Yeah, well. Outta practice.” Tully caught his boy's fingers counting down. Three....two....one....

“Well, Pit I'll add it to the list which you ain't looked at. What's so funny, boss?” Tully couldn't keep it to himself and cracked up with Juice's silent commentary on Nuke's predictability. When Tully couldn't answer, Nuke pouted. “Ass.”

“Show me 'fore you shower, Nuke.” Juice interrupted. “Even if I can't do any of it looking at it's good. 'S all mental, right?” They turned down their cell block and Juice turned around to look at Nuke again.

“An' I did put some shit you could do now on there. Lemme see your arm.” Tully finally looked behind him himself to watch the pair. Nuke was finally, slowly, learning about his attitude and his phrasing. It had only taken years and apparently an easily-startled punk. Juice held his arm out for him to look at, grateful that Nuke didn't just reach out and grab. “Looking good. Itchy yet?”

“Not yet but I'm not thinking about it. Because it will if I do.” Juice shrugged before he turned around. They'd made it to their cell, first, and as usual Tully let him go in first. The older man grabbed the mail that rested against the bars after he entered. His boy was now considering what to do but Tully finally knew. He was a bit tired and wanted to grab a nap while it was quiet. “Got that thing, Nuke?” Juice asked as Tully tossed the mail on the desk. He'd go through it later though he doubted it was important. All was torn open, pre-screened meaning none of it was from his lawyer. He climbed up onto his bunk. “Tired?” Juice peered over the edge of his bed; the boy must be on tip toes while he waited for Nuke.

“Mmhm.” Tully was on his back but he dangled one arm over to pet Juice idly. “Gonna study? ”His boy looked adorably concerned that Tully was up there. His hand drifted downwards now to rub the back of Juice's neck. “Figured you'd want the space, pretty boy. I'm right up here if you need.” If he was honest he wouldn't have minded napping on Juice but the boy should also learn to be by himself. Tully didn't think about how _he_ hadn't wanted, hadn't craved his previous solitude like he thought he might, since Juice had come into his life. Tully squeezed and then let go. “Still got you, now let an old man sleep.” He leaned over and gave Juice a kiss on the forehead before settling back down. He closed his eyes and vaguely heard Juice puttering around the cell, shuffling papers until he finally sat on the bunk beneath him. Satisfied that his boy was going to be okay for a bit Tully let himself drift into sleep.

 


	6. Chapter 6

“Papi.” Tully felt a nudge or two against his shoulder. “'S almost dinner.” Juice was gentle in his touch, and the older man emerged into consciousness like he was coming out of a warm bath. He rolled slightly, and opened his eyes. Juice was face-to-face with him, having stood on top of his own bed to be able to wake him up. “And you aren't old but you slept pretty heavy.” The young man grinned. “I napped too, you're very inspiring.”

“Good.” Tully could have said the same thing for Juice. He was being inspired for the second time in three days to move closer, give in to the little buzz in his head that wanted to press a kiss to Juice's soft lips. He could almost picture Juice's sound of surprise, and then maybe melting into Tully while the shot-caller wrapped one arm around him to keep from falling off of the bunk. “Mm, thank you baby.”

Juice dropped once he was certain Tully wasn't going to roll back over and the moment was lost. Ah well, there would be another, better time for it. Tully climbed down and stretched. Juice moved around him, setting the books down on the table before he rearranged it so the mail was on top of them. “Baby did you sleep on them again?” Tully shook his head and picked up the envelopes, flipping through them quickly. Nothing important, just more lonely-hearts letters and confirmation on the orders he'd given a few weeks prior. “No one knows how to write a goddamn letter, slowpokes.” There wasn't anything for Juice, but Tully wasn't going to bring that up.

He also pretended not to see Juice rubbing out the soreness of his body because he _had_ fallen asleep on the books. “'S all email, you know. And text message. Instant. They probably forgot they hadn't answered until someone reminded them they needed to take pen to paper.” Juice laughed a bit as he grabbed another drink of water.

Tully responded with a snort. “Things like that make me feel old, boy.” He just couldn't exactly text or even email. Phone calls were hard enough, realistically. “No patience, have to have everything immediately and expect everyone else does too.” A snicker made Tully turn to stare at Juice, who was grinning at him with such sass he'd not seen before on the boy. Tully had to keep from returning the smile, merely raise an eyebrow. “What?”

“'The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.'”

Raucous laughter on the other side of the cell doors; they had an audience. Nuke piped up. “Who said that, Pitbull? Cuz they gotta have a direct line to the boss after his naps, he's always talking about shit like that.”

“Socrates, quoted by Plato. Always thought it was funny so I memorized it. Works f'r...a lot of cons.” Juice was avoiding saying something else, clearly. Tully rolled his eyes, folding his arms to keep from giving Juice a smack upside the head. It might have been warranted, but he had a feeling that would end the fun. “Just sayin' the more things change, the more they stay the same.” Juice let him go out first this time, clearly making the movement deferential in apology. Tully took it as it was. “Mm....wonder...bet I could get email in here.”

“Mutt, you're feeling talkative.” Only an observation by Mickey despite his name-calling. Juice, however, shut his mouth with a mumbled apology. “No. Been trying to get that shit going for years. Spit it out, housewife.” It was Mickey's way, Tully knew, of letting Juice know he was alright. That Mickey wasn't upset at him for the incident in the gym. At least didn't hold him responsible.

Once they were out of the cell block Tully moved so that Mickey and Juice could have an easier time of the conversation. “Work out did him some good, eh boss?” Nuke took the boy's place to his side as they wandered toward the chow line.

“Such as it was, it seems so.” Tully looked down at Nuke, despite there being very little difference in their heights. It was for the effect. “Don't push him too hard.”

Nuke scoffed. “It was more than he did while he was in the hospital, and I won't.” Somehow Nuke found it in himself to keep his voice down. That, and Juice was wrapped up in his own conversation with the second. Tully wondered if they'd discussed doing it, Mickey and Nuke, so that Nuke could talk to Tully. “I'm not going to get him benching world records anytime soon, boss but...” Now the muscle fell uncharacteristically quiet. Tully waited, and then Nuke looked down. Also out of character for the big man. “You ain't the only one talking to the library coon, Tully.” Then he looked up, puffing out his chest to regain some of his attitude and armor. “Not good at any of the headshrinking shit and that's your job anyway but I can get him to lift some iron. Checked out some of those books on rehabilitation. Physical therapy.” A shrug, now as he grabbed his tray and turned away from the shot-caller.

Honestly Tully was dumbfounded with it. Nuke wasn't exactly a big reader, but that he'd taken time to do so to learn how to help Juice was astonishing. His men had surprised him; one part of Tully said that they shouldn't, that he should be paying more attention to them but the other, bigger part in his chest was heavy with emotion for the work they were putting in for his boy. “I see. Thank you.” He somehow kept the shake out of his voice.

“Don't mention it, man.” Nuke meant it, he didn't want Juice to know what he was up to. For whatever reason, and Tully could honor that. “Who the fuck puts bananas on for dessert? Dibs on Tully's!” They moved back as a group to sit down and as promised Nuke grabbed the banana right off of Tully's tray.

Juice sat across from Tully, cheeks reddened as he finished his conversation with Mickey. “Sorry.” To his Papi, as he'd barely said a word to him since they entered the mess. “F'r--”

“For getting you dragged into the twenty first century, Tully.” Mickey almost cackled. “Pit thinks he can wire us up to the internet.”

More blushing against Tully's cocked eyebrow. “That. I mean. It might be a while but I think I could. For emergencies. Or wh-whatever. I think, anyway. I'm not making any promises, Tully.” Juice hunched over a little with the onslaught of questions and congratulations. “Really, nothing might actually...work. It's all theory. ”

“No matter.” Tully raised his voice a little above the sounds of his men. Again his heart thudded that the gang had so taken with Juice, pulled him into their lives. “Work on it.” He put on his boss voice, and Juice's throat bobbed as he swallowed dryly. Tully had to remember to use it later, especially when he felt his boy's legs nudging his own as he adjusted in his seat.

Juice got him back, though. “Yessir.” Like any of the other men might respond, but this was teasing. Promising that something would happen when they returned to their cell and night came.

“Good.” Tully wrinkled his nose at the fish on his plate. Cheap breaded crap the same as he'd gotten as a child. The rest of them were eating it up, but he just couldn't stomach it. Reminded him too much of school, of Fridays where the only thing they could eat was fish. He ate around it, as much as he could. There were protein bars in his cell, thank goodness. “Have at it.” Tully shoved his tray to the middle and like vultures or piranhas they picked it clean within a few minutes. Even his sweet boy had stared down Mickey for the brownie before he made a soft acquiescing noise and split it.

After the brief quiet that Tully giving up his dinner began, the sounds of the table rose. Now they were talking about sports; God help him, today was the day he was getting left behind, apparently. Tully was about to retreat into his own thoughts when Juice bumped his knee again. The boy didn't have any real interest in whatever they were talking about, clearly, though he could keep up with the conversation judging by the interjections he gave. He was simply more interested in playing footsie with Tully. What else could Tully do but give in?

The meal went otherwise normally. Tully and Juice talked, flirting as much as they could within the bounds outside of their cell. There was a lot of downcast eyes paired with that beautiful smile; the rest of the men made no comment. Juice injected his opinion when asked, and Tully and Mickey talked business. No one came to visit them, fortunately. When they were all done, they stood and circled Tully as usual.

They were halfway down the line to drop off their trays. Tully trailed Juice, but Nuke stood somewhat to their sides so he and Juice could keep talking about football, then training. Officially against the rules, but no one seemed to be looking. In hindsight Tully would wish that maybe they should have been. Then things wouldn't have gone nearly so pear-shaped. “Pit, you can totally make a half mile next time. You're gonna, you don't haveta go any quicker than you did today.” Nuke was firm, it seemed, despite Tully's earlier warning about not taking it too fast with Juice. “If you get the stamina, your speed will pick up, right?”

“Right.” Juice glanced behind him to Tully, looking for support it seemed. “But...I still got broken ribs, Nuke. And a bad knee and a dodgy kidney.” He laughed a little, but it was a nervous one. “I pretty much passed out like, ten minutes into getting back earlier.” Tully was fairly certain it wasn't nearly so quickly, but he couldn't be sure. He'd fallen asleep quickly too. “T-tell you what, I'll try another lap next time we're out, alright? Just one, especially if it's outside. If I make that one, I'll try another the time after, huh?” Juice let Nuke slip behind him, in front of Tully so they could single file to dump their trays. Tully would have praised him, if he could. Instead he just watched, briefly, until Mickey got his attention and took his eyes away from Juice. Of course it was business. He dropped his tray, following his boy and his muscle as they turned the corner to make their way to the cell block. Juice on the inside, nearest the wall.

“Alright, Pitbull!” Nuke's loudness, unintentional, made Tully look again and it was like time slowed down in front of him. He knew what was about to happen, but couldn't stop it. Nuke's hand came up, in his overenthusiastic way and dropped down hard onto Juice. Right on the center of his back. No, not right on the center; just offset enough that Juice hit the wall with the accidental strength that Nuke had.

Juice yelped, and then that panic-stricken sound that had seared into Tully's mind bubbled up from Juice as he'd frozen, facing the wall. “Pit?” Nuke stepped towards his boy, and Juice cringed. “Brother, c'mon.” The man knew he fucked up, because he'd dropped his voice. Spoken quietly like at a frightened animal but it didn't help. Juice just tightened up in a way that had to have hurt him. He whined again, that noise of pain and terror and he was hyperventilating again.

But now he reached out and Tully finally unfroze from where he'd stopped. “ _Don't._ ” Tully growled as he stepped forward practically shoving Nuke out of the way. “Move, idiot.” Another whimper from the boy in front of him as Nuke backed off. Turned, to keep watch for them. Give them both some space and privacy. “Shhh, Juicey.” Tully slowly reached to Juice himself; confident he could do it and bring Juice back from the precipice in his mind. Or maybe he'd already fallen, and was back in the machine shop alone and trapped. Tully would be able to see where he was, and help. “Juicey, baby. Lookit me--” The shot-caller set his fingers on Juice's shoulder, tugging gently to get him to face away from the wall.

Pain exploded in his face as Juice whipped around more quickly than Tully had estimated with his injuries. His boy had one hell of a right hook and he'd slammed it into Tully's cheek making the taller man stumble backwards into the rest of the AB. They'd circled up around them, protecting the pair from view and waiting for Tully's further orders.. Tully shook his head and straightened. His men were shocked, but their own instincts immediately came forward. Each turned to the punk in front of him, intending on finishing the job that the MC's man had started. Tully had to get them under control. _“Don't.”_ That order voice was for them but Juice backed up against the wall still wide-eyed in fear. He was very clearly not entirely there, not seeing Tully but Happy. “Juice, you're not there.” Tully stepped forward once more, his cheek throbbing. “Sweet boy, you're safe. You're--”

The alarm bells sounded and the wall of meat at his back was violently ripped open by guards coming in to break up the fight. “ _Get down!”_ Of course it was fucking Pearson who lead them. “ _Get on the goddamned floor, Tully.”_

“It's not what you think.” Tully snarled back at her, his eyes not leaving Juice's. He could see tear tracks flowing down even as his hands were up and ready to defend himself from an enemy only he could see. One he thought was going to kill him. “He's having a flashback, Pearson. Goddamnit bitch listen to me!”

Tully rarely fought the guards. Not only was it useless most of the time, it was undignified and it set a bad example for his men. But this was Juice. His boy, his sweet lover was in pain and scared and he was the only one who could help. They weren't letting him. Tully caught the snarl that came up from him as someone, someone big, grabbed one wrist and slapped a cuff on it. He went with them as he was yanked, but only so he could slam one shoulder into the pig. “Get down!” The guard caught his other hand and cuffed it before sweeping his long legs out from under him.

Now he didn't stop the roar as he went down, and struggled until Pearson set a knee in his back. “You goddamn cracker shithead _stop it you're making it worse.”_ She hissed at him at the same time she tangled her hand into his hair to make him look towards where Juice had been. “Shut the fuck up.”

Tully did. He had been making it worse; Juice was still wide-eyed and trembling, but he'd slid down the wall and brought his knees up to his chest. His brown eyes were focused on Tully and unfocused at the same time, fighting and maybe losing to the demons that were all in his head. Losing, because Tully couldn't keep his temper back and hadn't seen the big picture. Juice had needed him calm and he'd failed. His chest hurt. All of him hurt and the Scot started up in his head _you didn't keep him safe_ and Tully dropped his head to the floor panting for a moment while he pulled himself together. With Pearson's hand still in his hair, his scalp burned and he used that to focus. Stuffed the Scot and that wail back into the box where it belonged before he raised his face. “Juicey.” His voice was shakier than he liked. “Juice. Let Pearson help you. She's not going to hurt you.” The knee at his back came up and she untangled her fingers. “I'm alright, baby. You're alright too.” Tully was so beyond fucked, everyone seeing him like this. But he didn't care. He needed Juice's beautiful eyes to come back to the present moment and stay there. Tully glanced around as best he could as his shoulders and knees ached. His AB were being pulled away too though they had half a brain and weren't fighting the guards. “C'mon, my little love. Look at me, look at Papi.”

Yep, fucked. But it worked. Juice startled and finally focused right on him. “T-Tully...?” The words were barely more than a whisper.

“There you go. I'm here.” Tully struggled at getting to his knees without his hands, but he managed. “Just fine, baby boy.” He smiled, ignoring the pain in his face. It was punishment, for having screwed up so terribly. Again. Another whimper from Juice and he tried to scramble from Pearson who was hovering too high up. She seemed to get it and knelt down. “She's safe, baby.” Tully couldn't do more than talk without risking consequences but every cell in his body screamed to get close to Juice. He had to trust that Pearson would work with his boy and not against him, so that Tully would be able to be with him later.

“Juice,” her voice was gentle, a stark contrast to the anger she'd shown Tully, “Let's go to the clinic, make sure you're alright?” A pause as she took in the change in his features; back to fear again as quickly as he'd calmed down. By himself, with a guard, emotionally compromised as he was? Tully knew that he wouldn't allow it. The woman seemed to know it too. “Not alone, Juice. You and Aaron and me, how does that sound?”

Those eyes went back to Tully. Somehow he was still the boy's center. “You get along well with McManus, baby. You're alright. Let the docs check you out, and they won't leave you alone with them, either.” He didn't care about the look the woman gave him, making promises he had no ability to keep. Juice needed to hear it and McManus would make sure that his will was done.

Juice looked to Pearson again and nodded shakily. “'kay.” Still barely a whisper and he uncrossed his arms to present his wrists. He knew the score, and was smarter than Tully. “S-sorry.”

“You don't have anything to be sorry for, Juice.” Pearson was gentle as she cuffed him; Tully cursed the standard procedure. Despite that, the guard was trying her best and that brought him back. “It's not your fault, there's no need to apologize.”

“I--” Juice looked for Tully again as Pearson slowly helped him up from the floor. Juice's jaw worked as he fought through the pain of his body. More rest for his baby boy, Tully's rational mind noted. Good back rubs, if he ever let anyone behind him again.

“Loathe as I am to agree with the Man, she's right.” That brought the tiniest smile to Juice's face for one brief second before it went away and the haunted look returned. It threatened to turn into tears again and Juice shuddered. Maybe with another memory he'd thought he'd buried. “Shhh, baby. My lovey, go with her and McManus.”

“C'n I c-come back...?”

Tully was being hauled up to his feet now. It took him a moment to understand what Juice meant. “Of course, Juice. I still want you to be with me.” He'd meant _be my cellmate_ but they both knew how beyond that he was. “No more tears, baby boy. I've still got you, and you'll come back once the docs clear you.” Another weak nod from his boy and finally Juice let Pearson and McManus tug him away towards the clinic wing. Tully watched, a part of him making note that the guard who was holding him let him do that until Juice was out of sight. He deserved a pay raise, anonymously of course. “I _am_ going back to my cell, right?” He kept the tiredness, the soreness out of his voice. Solitary was a likely outcome but he could hope.

“After that display, you probably shouldn't but...yeah.” Tully nodded, remembering to up his payment to this man. They started moving. “Got a brother got medically discharged from the service with PTSD. Does the same thing, freaks out like that. Fourth of July, New Years. It's hell.” Tully listened, not letting his eyes focus on any one thing for the moment. “You were doing the right thing by that kid. We do the same thing when Jake goes where we can't follow.” He sighed.

Tully looked up. “Thank you.” He meant it, too. Wondered if this guard's Jake was getting help and how Tully could help him and maybe help his sweet boy. Get this guard on his side, too because it seemed like his place with Pearson was at best slippery. He was distracted from his thoughts by the sensation that he was being watched. Tully swung his gaze around and the MC's man was staring at him. Staring, with wide eyes in a gaze that Tully was having a hard time reading. He remembered the look of surprise he'd had in the machine shop, when Tully was sweet and gentle to his boy and this was similar. After all, Tully had confessed his love for the boy in front of the entire prison. It didn't matter, rage boiled up inside of him and he locked eyes with the other man. “ _You did this.”_ Tully wanted to yell, but this was more effective. Let all the hate and venom and fear and sadness come out of him like it was a arrow shot at the man, soft and quiet and piercing, deadly. Startled the man took a step back and rabbited out of there before Tully could say any more. The guard wouldn't let him, just yanked on Tully's cuffs until they were back on his cell block.

The hallway was silent despite everyone being in their cell and Tully didn't break that. Just walked and stewed and worried. The guard dropped him into his cell and Tully stepped up to the sink. His face hurt, and there was definitely going to be a bruise forming where Juice had hit him. He pressed on it, hard. No broken bones, just the sharp pain that he expected. Needed, apparently. Tully dropped his hands and then almost compulsively washed them. There wasn't any blood on them, but he just had to feel clean. “Out, damned spot.” The line from that Scottish play; Tully, like the Lady MacBeth felt terribly terribly guilty. It was not a feeling he particularly liked but he could let it settle in the pit of his stomach. For now. Maybe if he strangled the life from the MC's man he would feel better. Feel like he'd done _something_ to make Juice better because apparently the hard work he'd done meant sweet fuck all. The rational part of him told him that this was the trauma, that Juice would have some set backs and it wasn't any more Tully's fault than it was Juice's. He told himself to shut the fuck up and let him feel guilty.

“Boss?” Nuke's voice from his cell was like nails on a chalkboard. Tully shut the sink off and turned, approaching the cell door. “Juice's gonna be okay....?

“Nuke,” Tully reached up to rest his hands on the bars, “You are the last one I want to hear talk right now.” He took a slow breath, that rational part sneaking up on him again. “But he was coming out of it. I imagine he'll be spending the night in the clinic.” Tully didn't want that. He wanted Juice with him, so that he could help him with the nightmares that were coming. “Now shut the fuck up, Nuke.”

Silence answered him, praise the lord. “Sorry, Tully.” Or not.

Tully banged his palm on the bars, and then turned away. He could ignore Nuke. He'd have to if he didn't want to get into a fight of his own. Tully had already escaped the hole once today, trying to do so twice would be tempting fate. The shot-caller climbed up into his bunk, laying there on his back to stare up at the ceiling. His boy was going to be fine while he was away. They'd probably question him on the ink, but they couldn't do anything about it except make sure it wasn't infected. Which it wasn't, they were always careful. Nuke hadn't had anyone get sick.

He dug under his pillow for the meal bars he planned on having for supper. Not that he really _felt_ like eating anything but he needed to. Tully pulled out first one protein bar, and then dove for another. Instead he pulled out a chocolate bar, bought for his boy. The shot-caller considered it, turning it over slowly in his hands, watching the light bounce around on the foil wrapper. He'd called Juice his love. The prison had heard it, and more importantly _Juice_ had. In the midst of his waking nightmares Juice responded to the new names. Tully wasn't sure what that meant; it was something he would have to discuss with Juice. He could guess that the boy returned his feelings; they'd been flirting and the conversations had taken a deeper, more personal tone. Tully had even spoken of his life outside of Stockton, made plans to introduce Juice to his dear brother. He was deep in love, and wanted to tell Juice that at every possible opportunity. Didn't give a shit what the rest of the prison thought; _he_ made the rules here after all. Tully growled to himself as he tore open the protein bar, letting the candy drop to his chest before he did so. He tossed the wrapper from his bunk to the trash can by their desk; it was still satisfying to throw things when he was frustrated.

The thought suddenly struck him. He _made_ the rules; he'd been merely molding the current ones to suit him so long that now that he was in relatively uncharted waters he'd gotten stuck. It wasn't that no one had fallen in love in prison; it was just different because of Tully's, and Juice's, status as shot-caller and punk respectively. Tully took stock. His men liked Juice despite his skin color. He had the right attitude for them, and didn't engage when he wasn't wanted. His boy, his love (and Tully's skin tingled thinking about it that way) was smart like that. He'd made friends with the hardest of them to make friends with; Tully could hear Nuke shadow boxing and mumbling apologies along with statistics and plans. Mickey was quiet but no doubt he was deep in thought like the shot-caller was.

And the rest of Stockton? They'd disengaged with Juice right after the fight with the Chinese, when Tully declared that he was taking Juice as _his_ punk. They didn't pick on him and when they did he was more and more likely to defend himself. And Tully too; the vicious beating he'd given Daniel was a testament to that. Certainly his beating and rape had been a set-back but that sheer will was impressive to all of them. Tully allowed himself a smile, though it still made his face ache. He loved that quality most of all, he decided. Always had. Even at Juice's lowest when he begged for an end to his pain, he'd looked Tully in the eye and had also asked for a little bit of dignity. His boy stumbled, but didn't everyone? The guards, the few important ones, seemed to be wrapped around his finger. Tully wasn't sure if Juice knew he'd managed it. Likely thought that he was so pathetic they were just nice to him out of pity. That was part of it, but he was just so likeable that they also couldn't help themselves.

Tully's thoughts were meandering, and he had to circle back to where he'd started. He wanted to tell Juice and the world how he felt about him all the time, but there were dangers in that too. Tully had enemies already and wearing his heart on his figurative sleeve made that person a target too. Not just from other gang members inside or outside of prison. The guards, the ones that weren't important or thought Tully just a stupid Nazi deserving of every bad thing that could happen to him, could use Juice to punish him. His boy was _leverage_ against him, and that was always dangerous. Equally so _he_ was leverage to Juice and he knew the boy could be pushed into doing terrible things to secure his place in the world. Punishing Tully to get Juice to rat against the Brotherhood was a very real possibility. Speaking of the Brotherhood, they'd likely greenlight them _both_ if it ever got out that Juice was half-black.

It was a risk he'd have to take, his heart fired back before he could make any more arguments to keeping his feelings under a tighter lid. Juice deserved to know at every moment that not only that Tully had him, he had Tully and that the older man's chest ached with love for him.

He realized that he'd finished the first protein bar, and he never did find the second. Tully stuffed the chocolate bar under his pillow and glanced at the clock. Still plenty of time before lights out though it was much further from dinner than he thought. He sighed and was about to come down to start his evening routine, alone, when he heard voices. A voice, a quiet one. “I-I know. I j-just wanna make s-sure he knows.” It wasn't dignified, the way he came down off of his bunk but he'd lost that hours ago. Juice was coming down the hallway. Tully got right up to the door, so he could see; his boy wasn't doing the zombie shuffle indicating he'd been drugged up though the stutter was worse than he had heard in a long time. Juice, McManus, and a short man Tully recognized as one of the prison shrinks stopped in front of them. “H-hey.”

Juice flicked his gaze up to Tully, and then dropped it. It made Tully want to reach through the bars and stroke his chin, tell him it was all right but that might get his wrist broken. Tully looked to the shrink, and then back to Juice. “Gonna come in?” Tully leaned back a bit, starting to move so they could open the door.

Juice looked up to him again. His brown eyes widened when he settled on Tully's face, magnetizing to the darkening bruise. “I--” The boy took a shaky breath before he continued. “G-gonna stay the night at the c-clinic.”

Tully stepped up again, and this time he leaned on the bars. Open, and relaxed, and showing his boy that he was perfectly okay. His arms hung from the cross-bar, hiding the injury. “Came to tuck me in good night?” Tully grinned down at him.

The ghost of a smile, again. “Y-yeah.” And then Juice dropped his eyes and sighed. “Was worried.” Two little words and Tully knew what the deal was. The anxiety over _him_ , how _he_ still felt about Juice and whether or not _he_ was okay had probably taken up much of his mind. Until it was too much and made them take him down here instead of staying in the relative physical safety of the clinic. More of that strength, trying to take care of himself. Tully was going to have to put it into overdrive when Juice returned to him; comfort his boy and assure him that he appreciated the effort.

Tully saw the shrink adjust, and they locked eyes for a moment. Tully could see in that other man's steely blues that he was being read. Being judged suitable for Juice to continue sharing a cell with. At the same time Tully scanned him; could he trust this man to not hurt his love? For now he had to, and Tully broke eye contact to look to Juice again. “I'll see you tomorrow?” Tully caught any nickname on his tongue. Too many eyes around.

His boy nodded. “P-probably tomorrow after lunch.” Another small smile, and for a moment his usual personality flared alive. “G-gotta do all the head-mechanic stuff.” Then he went quiet and sad again. Jumpy, as he lowered his voice almost in supplication. Going to ask Tully for something, then. “T-tell Nuke I'm not mad? An' don't be mad at him? Please?”

He already was, but Tully nodded for Juice's sake. “Get some rest, baby boy.”

Juice was gently tugged away and now the shot-caller heard the psychiatrist finally start speaking to the younger man. “Better?” His tone sounded like he cared, but Tully was never good at taking anything from the prison administration well. The guards were more trustworthy than the bean-counters and the doctors were part of that. Maybe Tully just saw the guards as working class stiffs, versus the white collars of the rest of them.

“Boss.” Mickey from across the way when the door shut at the end of the hallway. “Pit looked alright.”

It wasn't like Mickey, to actually sound so concerned but he must have had a look on his face that said he needed to hear it from an outside source. Tully steeled his features, gesturing to his cheek. “Get me some ice for this.”

“Will do.” Mickey stopped, a heavy pause. “I think you're going to owe someone, Tully.” He returned Tully's menacing glare calmly. “That,” and he gestured towards the spot Juice had been in, “is well beyond the realm of a simple courtesy. Someone got paid, and someone did the paying.”

Tully swore. Of course, though he'd briefly convinced himself that it was all Juice's idea. No matter how much he would have pleaded they wouldn't have let him out of the clinic without some monetary assistance. Nothing was free in Stockton and now he was in _someone's_ debt. It was not a comfortable idea so the quicker they could get that resolved, financially or otherwise, the better. “Start with the doctor. The little pinhead will probably fold if you look at him funny and he'll tell you who paid him.” Tully turned around to do what he'd aborted, start his evening routine. “ _Don't_ do it in front of Juice.” The last thing Tully wanted was to set his boy off again with too much violence.

“Got it, boss.” Nuke. Again. But he was taking initiative and Juice's _please_ came up in his mind once more. Tully didn't have it in him, then, to snap at his muscle for talking. Tully just waved him off and went back to what he was doing. Teeth brushed, hands washed again, Tully let his mind think and wander. Wonder who made it so Juice could come see him. He loved his boy, his boy did have some resources so he could have _possibly_ paid for it. But Juice hadn't really been in a fit mental state to think things ahead like that. Tully had underestimated his boy before. He sighed and turned around, once more feeling eyes on the back of his neck. One of the guards was holding out his bagged ice, and Tully took it through the bars with a nod in thanks, to both the messenger and Mickey. He hissed as he set it on his face; probably should have done it earlier. Tully hadn't deserved it earlier.

Tully dressed in his pjs and climbed up onto his bunk. He pulled the chocolate bar from under his pillow, turning it in his hands after he rested the ice on his face. It was nice to have something to do with his hands while he thought. Reminded himself that Juice was going to be okay. He'd see him later tomorrow and they could talk about all the hard things. The good hard things, admittedly. For the moment though Tully couldn't do anything more; the thought was crushing, so he knew he had to compartmentalize until he could see his sweet boy.

As much as he tried though, Tully simply couldn't. Every time he went to think about this work or that, his mind would drift back to Juice. Hoping he was trying to sleep, hoping he wasn't too frightened of the clinic. The last thing that happened to him there had, after all, been another assault. Another thing to talk about. Finally out of frustration and the fact the ice was starting to melt a little too much and make a mess, Tully threw the bag into the sink. From his high bunk it made a loud clatter that shattered the quiet briefly.

There were plenty of muttered curses; apparently many of them had decided to turn in early. Tully threw an arm over his eyes, wincing a bit though his face was more numb than before. This level of distraction was insane. It was, he supposed, what love was.

Tully didn't know when he fell asleep, just that he woke up with a start with his hand still over his face. No warmth at his side reminded him what had happened yesterday. With a groan Tully decided not to lay there any longer. It would turn into dwelling on it, and he'd never get anything done. Tully knew himself well enough that he needed to power through whatever he was feeling. “Welcome back to Earth, boss.” Tully rolled slightly to look down at Mickey after hearing his growl. Who knew how long the man had been standing there in his own cell and waiting for Tully to rouse. It wasn't quite breakfast yet but that Mickey was awake and talking told him how late it was. Stress, and sleeping alone apparently, made Tully sleep in.

Tully quickly brushed his teeth and changed, not verbally responding. He could be quiet and aloof. The shot-caller once more. Remind everyone that he wasn't a purely squishy emotion. His men seemed to appreciate it as they trudged back into the mess hall. They too were quiet and menacing, like everything had snapped back to normal. As normal as could be here in Stockton. Tully noticed a few more guards hovering around; especially near their table. That was the only thing out of place as far as Tully could see.

Except Juice's absence. It was once more weird to be scanning the mess without doing over a tattooed scalp. He'd only been back less than a full week and Tully missed him so much. Things had obviously changed between them. “Boss. Got an appointment.” Mickey sat back down next to him; he hadn't realized he'd even left. “A few.”

The prison must have simultaneously decided not to bother him when Juice was around and so fragile. It had the side effect, however, of making people all want to talk to him at once. Tully was both irritated and grateful; he wanted to sulk alone but ultimately the work would be better. “Start 'em, and we can continue outside if need be.” Tully gestured for Nuke to move over as he had for Luis. Leave enough room for their visitors.

The shot-caller ate as a parade of cons approached. Mostly for protection; some were obviously tweakers in need of a fix. Tully knew most of them having done business with them for years. It was boring work, but steady. He did have to take it outside, as breakfast wasn't enough time to finish them all. Mickey had deliberately done it, Tully figured. Keep his boss busy.

They were now perched on his picnic table again, close to where he'd been attacked. Mickey sitting on the bench with Tully on it, and both Nuke and Thierry close by for muscle. “Thank you, Tully.” The last con simpered as he backed away carefully avoiding Nuke. The con had owed Tully money, but the shot-caller was feeling generous and allowed him another week interest free. After that week, though.... “Anyone else?” Tully was now downright bored.

“Nn-apparently yes.” Mickey gestured to where Luis was standing. The second stood, about to move so the other boss could sit on the bench.

“Sit, 'mano.” Luis looked behind him. “Go on.”

Tully narrowed his eyes at the same time Nuke almost literally growled. Lucky, no Happy, the MC's man stepped around Luis. Tully didn't deign to look at him, but to the other shot-caller instead.

“'E wanted to talk to you.” Luis shrugged. He clearly didn't know what the deal was. He had his own muscle though and Tully could feel everyone tense up.

“'E's got.... what is it, _conjones_?” Tully drawled, not quite mocking Luis. The other man waved a hand and stepped back, his muscle doing the same. He was just here to make sure that the MC's man got here alive. Leaving the same way was optional, it seemed like. Happy was on his own. Tully looked from his fellow shot-caller back to the MC's man. To his credit, he was still as a stone and he held Tully's eyes with his own cold dark ones. “Well?” Tully held up his hand; out of the corner of his gaze he could see Nuke thinking of starting violence. Mickey too, beside him. Tully was if nothing else feeling generous today.

“I paid for it. Your visit.” He kept Tully's gaze. “Your man was askin' around. Decided to save you the trouble of waiting.”

If there was anything Tully had been expecting, it wasn't that. He laced his fingers and set them under his chin with a raised eyebrow. _He_ kept the surprise off his face, but Nuke, Mickey, and Thierry looked temporarily dumbfounded. Luis, too, when Tully took a second to look at him. “Somehow, I don't believe you Lucky.” A reminder of just who was in charge. Who _allowed_ him to live.

“Ask Lenny. Or don't, I'm not lying.” The man wasn't actually calm despite his stillness. Tully could read it in his tension, the stiff parade rest he wasn't sure the man knew he was doing. This wasn't the stalking, fighting excitement Tully had briefly seen in the machine shop. It was, maybe, fear. Good.

“Why would you do that, Lucky?” Tully lowered his own voice and kept his stare at the other man. He was Stockton, _top_ predator here. “And I _will_ be talking to the Pimp.” Personally, right after this.

Now Happy looked away, unable to take that laser focus. “If there was another Mayhem vote, I'd go the same way. But since there's not, we need to make it up to the AB.”

“Tsk tsk, that's not what I asked. The Club already made your idiocy up to me.” This felt so good, this visible show of his power. Like he was stretching out a muscle that hadn't been used in a while. And he had stronger words over _idiocy_ for what Happy had done. “And you, well,” Tully flicked his hand up, “I haven't seen much of your apology.” Was it humiliation? Yes, Tully meant it to be.

Without complaint though Happy raised his shirt. One side was littered with smiley faces but they were very much overshadowed by the healing scars. Two swastikas, and a frown. It didn't look like Happy had made any effort to hide or speed their healing. “Mickey, ya did a good job.” Tully made his snicker nasty, and Mickey followed suit. “Pity you survived it.” Happy dropped his shirt once Tully gave the okay. “Try again, now.” Maybe with the dog and pony show Happy would answer truthfully this time. “ _Why_ did you pay for it?” Tully let slip anger into his voice, but it wasn't uncontrolled. Just another power play. He had to know.

Happy tilted his chin up and Tully wondered if he was being defiant to try and get Tully into a fight. It would be suicide, with all the muscle around them. Finally Happy shook his head. “If Mr. Mayhem meets him again, he won't be fighting a broken man. If you don't believe that, then know my reasons are between me and the Club.” He didn't look inclined to continue and his eyes dared Tully to push him.

Fix Juice, on the off chance he gets to try to kill him again? Strange, but he kind of got it. And he recognized Tully was the only one to help his boy. “I see. Well. I still don't really believe you Lucky, but it's more honest than you were before.” Tully slid off the picnic table and slowly approached the other man. Nuke and Thierry read what he was doing and closed off Happy's escape backwards without him sparing a glance to them. “My mother, gone a year now, always told me to be polite, so thank you for arranging our meeting last night.” The accent again, he just couldn't help it. “It certainly put my mind at ease for the evening.” Juice's too, but he wasn't going to know that. “But,” and now he was in Happy's space, and Tully looked down on him, “I'm going to only tell you this _one more time._ ” With that Tully curled his hands into Happy's uniform, hauling him up just enough that he could stare deep into those dark eyes. Let him see the buried rage, the anger for what suffering he had put Juice through. “ _You did it to him_. You do not get to help fix him. So help no further.” Now Tully let him go and he couldn't keep back the look of disgust. He hated this man. Would have seen him dead weeks ago if not for Juice. “Get the fuck away from me.” Nuke and Thierry moved enough that Happy could leave, and Happy did making his way towards where the Mafia were hanging out. He wasn't going to run, but he certainly wasn't making it a casual stroll.

Tully backed away and sat down. Luis was smirking having watched the men interact. “Looks like I owe my second some cigarillos. Figgered he wasn't walkin' away this time.”

“He almost didn't.” Tully groused, as he snapped at Mickey for a cigarette of his own. He didn't indulge often, preferring weed if he was smoking anything but this was the closest he had. Of course Mickey hadn't brought any, and now Tully felt a full sulk coming on. “Is he still paying you?”

“No, actually. Th' MC is.” Luis shrugged. “First payment doesn' kick in till next week, though.”

Tully snorted. “'S why you didn't step in, mm? Well. I don't think he'll come around here again.” He felt twitchy, muscles vibrating beneath his skin, but he made himself hold still for the moment. “Sorry to ruin your yard time with this.”

Luis waved it off. “I thought it was hilarious. Best entertainment I had all week. 'Sides one of those smiles is for a cousin of mine. He needs his ass kicked for that, even if it was legit. _Adios,_ Tully.” A gesture and he started back following the same path Happy had taken. Tully stood again, rubbing his face slowly. He had to talk to Lenny the Pimp, which was always delightful.

The bells sounded and they made their way back into the prison. The rest of the Brotherhood was about to circle up but they were interrupted by McManus. He gestured. “The rest of you, move on. Tully. You know what time of the month it is.” The other man snickered. Tully rolled his eyes as he dismissed his men. They might have the same ideals, but McManus wasn't on his side.

“What's the pool at, McManus?” Tully submitted to the cuffs. He wasn't an idiot, he knew the guards bet on how much contraband he had in his cell. “If you bet greater than zero you'll lose your money.” He twisted a bit, looking back at the other man. Officially they were going to the holding tanks while his cell was stripped and searched thoroughly. It was true, too, what he said. He'd gotten rid of everything to make Juice's stay more pleasant and Tully knew the boy didn't have anything he wasn't supposed to. “Maybe one.” If the bag from the ice counted; probably did with his luck. “But I'll give you a chance to earn it back.” He kept his voice low as they walked the long way. Fortunately the long way took them to a place that was uninhabited. “Need to see Janowitz. 25 there, 25 back.”

“What's the catch?” 50 was a little bit high for what amounted to an escort trip.

“We go now. After your admin bullshit.”

“Jesus, Tully.” McManus sighed. “How long?”

Good, he was considering it but he hadn't immediately said yes. McManus was a better choice than Kiefer had ever been. Not nearly so very greedy. “Not long. Half hour, pay you when I get back.” Tully wasn't desperate, so he didn't have to keep any desperation out of his voice. Did he need to know why the MC's man had paid? Yes. Did it _have_ to be this very second? Probably not; he could get another guard to take him to Lenny if McManus refused.

Tully needn't have worried. McManus finally nodded. “After we check-in.” It didn't take them long to do that, or for them to make their way to the clinic wing. McManus left Tully alone, still cuffed, outside of Lenny's spacious hospital cell. Hell of a show of trust, really. The shot-caller wasn't inclined to do anything untoward. Just rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes. He honestly hadn't gotten enough sleep or at least the quality of what he had gotten sucked. He missed Juice, apparently needed him like a child needed a teddy bear. A smile flicked across his face; Tully would have to tell Juice that. “C'mon in.” That was fast. McManus gestured and Tully entered. “Twenty minutes.”

Lenny the Pimp was sitting at the lone table there. He watched as the shot-caller entered. It was only polite that Tully remained standing until invited, and Tully wondered if any of the cons he'd had this exact same exchange with felt the way he had right now. Not trepidation; that implied fear. Just excited patience, if there was such a thing. Finally Lenny gestured for Tully to take a seat. When he did Tully folded his hands carefully on the table so that his thumbs covered the tattoos on his hands. There wasn't much he could do about his bolts and his chest, or the neck ink, but at least he could make a visible effort to cover the Nazi symbols in front of the older man. It wasn't clear he was Jewish, Tully had never gotten a straight answer but right this moment it was better safe than sorry. Tully waited yet again until Lenny had gotten enough breath to speak. It took a moment for Tully to get used to the cadence of it. “What c'n I do for you, Mr. Tully?”

“Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.” No fucking around with manipulations. “I have a question.”

“If it's about the boy,” Lenny looked towards the door, “I--”

“It's not.” Now Tully paused. Not _your_ boy like everyone else, but _the_ boy. Dehumanizing him, disavowing him as even a person to give a damn about. “Not directly. About who paid for his visit to me last night. Smiley.”

“ _Lowman._ ” Such venom in his voice even as weak as it was, it almost made Tully lean back with it. He forced himself to hold still, merely raise an eyebrow. “I told him to keep his mouth shut.” Lenny shook his head.

“In a sense he did, Mr. Janowitz. Only told me he did it. Not why. Well,” he smiled, “not really why.”

“It's Club business. Lowman has his rules.”

It seemed like Lenny was about to dismiss him, so Tully had to try another tactic. “Ahh. Of course it is, I understand that.” Now he really did lean back, get a little more casual and open though his hands remained folded. This was for his own personal curiosity, no need to get too serious about it. “Though I do know I'm in a bit of hot water with the MC for my....associations with the boy. I'd rather not step on any more toes by breaking Club rules--”

“You're not bound to them.”

Damn, time to bring out the big guns. “The boy is, is he not? The last thing _I_ want for him is to risk trouble from the MC by breaking some law he's unaware of.” A little blunt but clear on the claim.

Lenny stared at him for a long while, and Tully tapped into his well of patience and looked back. Finally after what felt like too long Lenny spoke again. “Lowman is one step above the boy as far as his membership in SAMCRO is concerned.” Tully tried not to look surprised but he was. As far as he could tell the MC was as overruling in Lucky's life as it had been in Juice. “Old rule Teller, John not Jackson, put on the books. For crimes not bad enough to meet Mayhem but pretty damn bad.” More waiting while Lenny breathed. “He's got to earn his way back for his maneuver. Risking war with the AB. Figured his chances were best trying to get you to vouch for him.”

Tully clenched his jaw and had to consciously un-clench it. “I told him that was about as likely as a snowball's chance in hell on a hot sunny day but he insisted. He kept saying it was his fault.”

“It is.” His fault that Juice was here, that Juice was so broken. That _he_ was here trying to get insight, any at all into fixing him even if he'd shoved Happy's help away. Rightfully, because it was _his fucking fault_. Tully took a deep breath, annoyed at how shaky it was. “Thank you.” Another breath. “Is there anything the AB can do for the _Bratva_?” Give at least the option for asking a favor after this exchange, but not for the MC. Lenny's connections to the Russian mafia were well known.

Lenny shook his head, and Tully stood. “I saw the kid comin' back last night.” He looked down at the other man. “You don't see smiles on men here like that. Especially not in the clinic, with issues like his. Whatever you're doin' keep at it.” Tully must have looked boggled and Lenny finally cracked a smile of his own. “He may not be fit to be a Son, may be a rat, but that doesn't mean he's not fit to be happy and get a little strange on the side. Long as he lives, anyway.”

“I---yes.” He ignored the comment about being Juice's strange and just smirked. “I'm glad you understand. Thank you for your time Mr. Janowitz.” Tully backed out and let McManus cuff him. “Did you win?” Tully smirked once they were away from the wing. He knew they'd gotten enough time to strip search his cell.

“Didn't go down there. Stayed here.” He didn't speak for a long while as they wound their way back towards Tully's cell. “Checked on Juice.” McManus finally said when they were nearly there. “He was-- he was crying, or had been. Talking with Dr. B.” Tully frowned and twisted again trying to look at the guard. “Short guy, the shrink from last night.”

Tully didn't have a chance to ask more, though he now knew who the man was talking about. McManus released him into his cell. Of course it was a fucking disaster, it usually was after they tossed it. “They looked like they were wrapping up so they'll probably be back before lunch.” The guard gave him a look. “Go easy on him.”

Tully returned it. Like he would do anything else. “Thank you.” He grabbed the sheets from the floor and shook them out. Once he separated his own from Juice's he checked it. The cash was still there surprisingly. “Had newbies do it?” Tully snickered as he took the hidden money from the even better hidden pocket before tossing the set up to his bunk for later. Carefully, so as not to get them caught, Tully palmed it. “Idiots go from zero to 60 and get sloppy.” Their agreed on payment, plus ten for checking on Juice and telling the shot-caller about it.

McManus took the money, just as slyly as Tully had given it to him. “Yeah they do. We'll get 'em trained up good.” He smirked and saluted Tully sarcastically, leaving the other man to pick up his cell.

Tully hadn't gotten far with it when he heard the voices again, just separated his clothes from Juice's where they'd thrown it on the floor. That hadn't been a consequence he'd considered when he moved his boy in, but too late now. Tully straightened, tossing something he knew was dirty in the empty bin. “What did they do...?” Juice was staring at the mess with those brown eyes. Like McManus had said they were red-rimmed like he'd been crying. But deeper within them Tully saw the relief of being back here even if the place was a wreck.

Tully shrugged; that little shrink was with them. “Another one of those perks of bein' me. Free redecorating every month.” He smirked and backed away so that they could let Juice in for real this time. Tully's heart wanted nothing more to pull him into their cell and positively bury him in kisses and cuddles. Apparently the dark, angry, twisted shot-caller from earlier today had disappeared. He held back his impulses though and just watched Juice enter.

His boy turned to the doctor. “W-wednesday? 'Fore lunch?” At the doctor's nod he was allowed in. “Y'all know where to find me.” Tully could hear that beautiful smile, but it was a little fragile and weak. He tossed another dirty shirt into the laundry and his pillow up to his bunk. The case was still around here somewhere. Imbeciles. Tully at least tried to pretend he wasn't listening to the pair of them as he cleaned, but he couldn't help himself and finally stood up straight again. The shrink left, after giving Tully one more hard look. Juice paid no more attention to the doctor; he'd turned and that smile became more relaxed. “Guess I got mandatory tune-ups every week for the next two years.” A chance at a joke as he approached Tully. At least one step before his face fell. “I-I ain't gonna rat or anything.”

Tully gave him a flat look and now set Juice's sheets onto his bunk. “C'mere, baby.” Juice didn't need to be told twice, he just crossed the small cell and stepped into Tully's space. Let Tully pull him in closer for a light kiss on the crown of his head. For a moment Tully brought his arms up around Juice's back to hug him, but the tiniest flinch made him set his hands on his shoulders. “I know. I trust you. It'll be good for you.” Really Tully had a hard time trusting the administration in any sense but Juice just seemed a little bit better with the time with the doctor. “Hey, shh.” A few more sniffles as they stood. Two years, at least then. Plenty of time to put his darling boy back together.

“Thought I was outta crying.” Juice hiccuped as he bent his head to Tully's chest; hiding himself. “Th-thank you. For that.” He looked up. “Your trust. An'....stuff...we gotta talk about....tonight?” Now Juice was blushing, and his gaze dropped down to the still messy floor. Tully could be okay with that. Instead of saying so, he once more lightly kissed Juice's forehead and for one brief moment he found Juice's hand, the one hidden from the view of the hallway. He gave it a gentle squeeze. “Need a hand?” Juice didn't back away, but he did look around again. “Shit they did a number on this place, buggin' me just to see it.”

“Sorry I didn't warn you.” Tully stepped back and released Juice. “And as long as you don't strain yourself, I won't argue.” His sweet boy nodded eagerly and the pair of them cleaned up the tossed cell rather more quickly than Tully would have alone. Once it was all set back, the last thing to do was make their beds. The shot-caller just rearranged everything so it was relatively neat, but Juice did completely the opposite. Slowly he crawled around on the bed, tucking and folding the corners in to leave the sheets so tight you could bounce a quarter off of them. Tully snickered with the thought of doing that, and then bouncing the same quarter off of Juice's backside. “You know you don't need to, baby.”

“I know.” Juice turned and sat on his bunk with a sigh once it was all done. He'd gone slower than Tully but it might have still been too much. “Can't help it.” Juice smiled up at him and patted the bed. Obviously some things hadn't changed and Tully crawled to sit next to him. Juice leaned on Tully's chest, and it was like something had returned to him. The weight of his boy, his love, was a part of him now and it made him smile. Kiss Juice again. “Right...right after I prospected one of 'em, Tig.” Juice was just telling him this, his past, without prompting. “Would come into my dorm an' pull the sheets off cuz it wasn't military tight. Two months solid until Clay told him to knock it off. Now if I'm makin' my bed from scratch I just...do it.” A roll of one shoulder and he shrugged.

“Ahh.” His fingers started moving up and down that muscular shoulder. “What brought that trip down memory lane on?” He kissed Juice again, making sure his boy know that he wasn't upset about it.

Of course the boy snuggled closer, and now he wrapped his arm around Tully's waist. He needed to be held, it seemed, and didn't care about any audience he might have. Trusted his Papi to take care of any interruptions or commentary; Tully would live up to that trust. Even if Juice didn't think he needed to earn it again, Tully felt he did. “Shrink said I should share shit. You know. Don't bottle it up.” Juice looked up at him with sudden worry. “I-if that's alright. I mean I c'n still tell him if-if it bothers you. But I'm not gonna rat, I promise.” He bit his bottom lip.

Tully reached with the arm not curled around Juice and gently pulled at his chin, making him release it. The move was pretty cute but Tully knew it wasn't born of trying to be that way. “It's fine, sweetheart.” He laced his fingers together so that he was hugging him now. “Tell me whatever you like, long as you're comfortable.” Tully caught movement out of the corner of his eye, someone standing in front of the cell. He held up a finger so that they knew to wait.

“He also s-said I should do it even if it makes me a little uncomfortable.” Juice softly chuckled. “Just a little. Kind of stupid, basically to get my--my head to know that it isn't the end of the world, being uncomfortable. Or something like that, you understand?” Tully did; the reading he'd done had mentioned something similar. Now he adjusted, seeing the movement. “Oh. 'S lunchtime, isn't it?”

The shot-caller looked at the door better; the men were waiting for the pair of them. “Mm, time does fly, doesn't it? Comin'?” If his boy was tired Tully understood, and he hoped the gentle hug told him that silently. But Juice nodded, to the older man's surprise and Tully unwound his arms to help Juice up.

“Might skip dinner.” Juice put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. “Docs said that being tired probably didn't help....what happened.” He looked up and his eyes got a little wide again, once more seeing the bruise on Tully's face. It wasn't so bad; the ice had helped. Juice raised one hand, about to touch when he stopped and thrust it back into his pocket. “S-sorry.”

“Not your fault.” Tully grinned briefly down at him before he gestured to the open cell door. “Good right hook though.”

His boy smiled just a tiny bit as he stepped out in front of him. “Stop givin' me that look, Nuke.” The shot-caller settled in his usual place, and Juice in his, but the boy walked backwards. “It w's an accident.” Tully turned himself and Nuke had the saddest look on his face. “Don't suit you brot- man.” Juice caught himself before he faced forward. They moved down the hallway before Juice turned around again. “Trust you to have my back.” Tully heard it, and Nuke did, but Juice kept his voice deliberately quiet otherwise. The boy shrugged, turning around for the final time as they entered the cafeteria. Like nothing had happened the previous day between them. Tully was proud of them both.

It didn't last long, though. Juice was struggling in the line, tense and judging by how his head was moving, looking around in growing fear. With a glance to check they were being ignored Tully pressed closer to him. “Easy, baby boy. I got you.” Anyone else crowding him like this might have gotten a reaction, but with Tully Juice just relaxed. Understood that Tully had him and there was no reason to fear anyone else. The shot-caller stepped back and the rest of the trip down the line went without incident.

“Boss.” Mickey growled once they were all sitting down. “Two days, I gotta teach that class.” Tully just grinned at the man sitting next to him. It had been an unintended boon that now he could tell _when_ the new inmates were coming in. “I hate you.”

“No you don't.” Tully cackled and handed his boy his banana bread. _Jesus fuck_ they got this shit on sale. They had to have. “Hear that, Nuke?”

“Yeah boss. Check out the new fish at yard time. Which I won't lose.” Nuke puffed, obviously still trying to make up for yesterday. He wasn't too close to Juice but the shot-caller saw the eyes he shot everyone who did. “Me an' Thierry, we'll pick the best.” He looked to Juice, and then Tully, significantly. The muscle would take care of any of them who had a problem with Juice's place at the table. Tully took a drink to cover the snicker; like Tully couldn't? But the man was still pleased. They'd come so far with his lover.

“Good.” Tully nibbled on his grilled cheese. It actually wasn't bad as far as prison meals went. It only lacked tomato soup, but the last time they offered it there had been a near riot when they ran out. “Remember that? The Tomato Soup Incident?” The table now snickered. “Closest I saw to all the colors working together,” Tully continued. “when the morons didn't give us enough and we had to voice our displeasure.” He shook his head. “And they wonder why we don't trust them.” Juice was looking down at his meal, nodding with a frown. Tully could have kicked himself; he was talking about petty shit but Juice couldn't trust the guards because he'd gotten _honestly_ hurt by one.

“Same on the outside.” The boy finally spoke. “Fuckin' pigs'll use any excuse to fuck you over.” Speaking of his experiences with the RICO act and the cops that used it. Those kinds of guys were the worst; they had such a spread of crimes they were trying to prove it was really a juggling act. One thing out of place and it all came crashing down and no criminals were caught. Tully would feel bad if they weren't cops. It took a lot of energy to balance such things; he would know. “Fuck cops.”

“We're not all bad, are we?” Pearson, of course, was passing by and her voice made Juice jump. Tully fixed her with a glare. He hoped she wasn't becoming prone to petty torments now that she'd seen them both at their lowest. Too many of the good ones did. She'd lasted a long time though.

Juice to the rescue, before Tully could make a comment. “N-nah. You're cool f'r a cop.” The timbre of his voice hid some personal mirth, but his face was appropriately ass-kissing. It was enough for her to smile warmly at him, though, and ignore Tully's lemon face. When she moved away he huffed under his breath. “For someone who only needed a G.E.D and a clean piss test.”

It made the rest of the table briefly laugh but Mickey spoke up. “Don't know the G.E.D, Pit.” Mickey's correction was as gentle as he could manage. “Three-quarters of the guys here have it.”

His boy dropped his eyes again. “Yeah, I know. No-nothing personal guys, sorry.” Juice went back to eating, and Tully lightly rubbed his foot along Juice's leg. More assurances that he was doing just fine. Judging by the smile, it was exactly what his boy needed and he spent the rest of the meal in conversation just like normal. Pushing himself to get through this part of the day; Tully could read it on his face as much as he was reading the pleasure in being as normal as he could. His boy, always fighting.

Finally lunch was done and the Brotherhood stood up. Going through the line again Juice didn't seem to flinch one bit but still the shot-caller stuck close to him. Nuke, too, and he even broke protocol to get in front of his sweet boy. Tully knew he was still mean-mugging anyone who got too close. Once they were past, everyone relaxed but Tully realized he still had to hit the commissary. Get more of his preferred snacks and meal replacements. He broke off from the group, suddenly.

“Imma go back and take a nap.” Juice followed him speaking mostly to the Brotherhood. His way of saying goodbye to them. Tully smiled down at him when he caught up, waiting in line with Tully as long as he was allowed.

“Sounds like a good plan to me.” Tully couldn't help but agree. He just wanted to spend time with Juice, if he was honest. Business was chugging along and Tully could leave it be again until he was needed. “Skip dinner?” Juice looked down with a sigh, not speaking but Tully could read it in his eyes. It had been a lot to come out of his cell and do this song-and-dance so soon after. “Me too.” Tully crossed his arms and tapped his chin, watching the sweet young man as they stood together. Then he leaned close; this was a whimsical plan but sometimes the best ones were done off-the cuff. “I'll actually make us dinner.” Tully smirked and stepped up to the counter. He'd been in prison long enough that he had a surprising number of commissary food recipes that were pretty good. “How do you feel about pad thai and a latte?”

 


	7. Chapter 7

Juice was _grinning._ Beaming, and Tully almost felt the need to look away from the shine of it.

He'd napped while Tully caught up on his paperwork. Once the wing started to empty for dinner, Tully set the book he'd picked up down so that he could cook. He didn't do it often, but Juice's second return inspired him. Tully started the ramen noodles with his infrequently-used hot water heater, and he leaned against the wall as he mixed some of Juice's peanut butter with the purchased hot sauce. His boy was finally waking up after he'd gone down. It was a gentle coming to consciousness that Tully was enjoying watching. Like an awakening Juice might have had if they lived together _outside_ of Stockton. Juice in bed, the sun shining through the windows and Tully making him breakfast... The mental image was disgustingly domestic; Tully huffed to push it away as he started to warm the milk carton in their sink. But even if it was, Tully liked the idea of making breakfast, or dinner, or any other meal in a proper kitchen in a proper home with his beloved. The older man shook his head; that was a hell of a fantasy. That's all it was. Tully wasn't even eligible to _try_ for parole for another decade. He was pretty sure, anyway, now that he really considered it. He'd write his lawyer. Just for confirmation.

“You're thinkin' hard.” Juice spoke low so as not to startle Tully. He struggled to sit up while he did so, but somehow managed to adjust so he was leaning against the wall. “What about? If I c'n ask.”

Tully shook his head. “Nothing important, baby. Hungry?” Juice nodded, and Tully checked the noodles. “Sleep well?” Another nod and there was the smile he had to look away from. Besides that, the food was almost done. Tully grabbed the two bowls he'd picked up too. “Good.” Deftly Tully shut off the water flowing over the milk after he pulled the heating element out of the pasta. He wasn't worried, he'd done this plenty of times and it would come out perfectly. Tully drained the ramen and split it between the bowls, then he poured the peanut butter mix over the still-hot noodles.

His boy was still watching, fascinated. “Last stint I wished I'da known that shit.”

“You pick it up after a few years.” Tully smirked as he dropped a couple spoonfuls of instant coffee into the milk, shaking up the cartons carefully without spilling any. He stuck a spork in the bowl, and presented Juice with it and a carton. “As Froggy says, bon appétit.” Tully picked up his own bowl and sat down next to Juice as was their custom. His chest was warm and it only got warmer watching Juice dig in eagerly.

“Damn this is good.” Tully smiled down at him before he too took a bite. It could have used some more hot sauce, but it wasn't bad. “Thanks.” Juice looked out their cell door before he spoke again, “So is this a date?” Tully was proud he didn't choke too much on his noodles. “Cuz I'd be okay if it was.” Then he _did_ choke, staring down at Juice. His boy gave him a smug look, clearly proud that he'd flustered Tully. He took a sip of the coffee drink with a smile. “Jus' missin' some candles.”

Tully finally got himself together. “Even I can't get fire, baby.” He leaned and pecked Juice's cheek. “I hope that's still acceptable.”

“Course.” He sounded cool but he could see the blush on his boy's cheek and neck. It was obviously an unconventional first date but when was Tully ever conventional?

That reminded him. “Mm. I did forget the wine, I'm quite sorry baby boy.”

Juice cracked up then, scrunching his nose in the most adorable way. “C'n skip th' wine, Papi. I get terrible headaches. An' you know. It tastes like shit.”

Now it was Tully's turn to laugh. “Good point.” Prison alcohol wasn't for a date, it was for getting as fucked up as possible as quickly as possible and they both knew it. “I'll think about a replacement for our next date.” The idea of another one made Juice hum in pleasure, and Tully knew he was on to something. Dinner, just the two of them? He should have thought of it before. He could probably make it a regular thing, even. Teach Juice's some of the prison recipes while he was at it. He'd have to get more supplies; Tully had never really bothered before. The effort was too much and the cafeteria food was edible.

Now they ate in companionable silence, occasionally broken with idle conversation. Tully could imagine Juice like this on the outside. On a date, charming and sweeping the young woman off her feet by batting his big beautiful brown eyes at her. It simultaneously made his chest ache and his heart thump that he got to experience it. “Lemme do the dishes.” Juice squirmed up from where he'd leaned against Tully. “Thank you, it was delicious.” Another less-shy kiss to Tully cheek before he managed to climb off the bunk. Juice grabbed the dishes and began to wash them in the sink. Tully stood and dug for the chocolate bar when he heard a snort. Then it turned into an outright snicker. “Ow...” Juice grinned at Tully while he scrubbed. “'S not quite an Outside date is it? You _know_ I'll put out.”

For a moment Tully just stared at him surprised that he was joking about it, but then h3e couldn't help laughing himself. “The question is, baby boy, will _I_?”

Juice laughed and finished what he was doing. He came back to the bunk with that amazing grin. “Pretty sure.” Juice raked his eyes down Tully's torso to settle at his groin. Slowly he licked his lips.

Of course his cock jumped but Tully willed it to behave. “Later, baby.” Because he couldn't _not_ , not if Juice was willing but they weren't alone enough. Maybe tonight, after their talk.” Tully held up the chocolate bar and his poetry book. “Dessert now?”

Juice nodded eagerly and slowly made his way onto the bed. Tully unwrapped the bar and broke off a piece which Juice's lips gently took from his fingers before he settled all the way down. “Mmm.” It was so pleased and Juice cuddled right up onto his chest. “Such a good dinner. Date.” That smile, again. “Another? Piece. And another date.”

Tully obliged him and opened the Bronte book. He munched a chunk of his own while he flipped through the poems. They must have gotten through every single one two or three times, but Juice never seemed bored of listening to their loving words. Tully kissed the crown of his head and began to read. They took a brief break when everyone came back to brush their teeth and readjust to laying down, but other than that they had no interruptions.

The lights finally shut off, and Tully gently set the poetry book on the floor. Juice's sigh was content as Tully wrapped his arms around him. “Good to be back?”

His boy nodded and somehow pressed himself closer to Tully without shoving him outright off the bed. “Mmhm. Didn't sleep real great even with the good drugs. And the bed's bigger up there but...I missed you.” He spoke softly, especially the last part.

“I missed you too, baby boy.” Tully lightly nuzzled the back of Juice's head and then pressed his lips to it. This felt _right,_ being here. He hadn't slept well either. It was lonely without his boy. His beloved, strong, sweet young man. “A lot. Though I'm jealous you got the good stuff.”

They both laughed as loud as they could, and laid on the bed in silence for a while. “Wasn' worth it, though.” Juice finally spoke to break it. “Woulda rather been here.” He shuddered and Tully squeezed until he stopped. “Had nightmares anyway and you weren't up there.” Not mad, just pointing out the obvious and Tully once more kissed him in apology. There seemed to be more to his time in the clinic, but that wasn't for now. “But....I thought about what you said. And it helped.” Juice took a breath then, and turned his head just enough that Tully was fairly certain he could see his outline. “Tully...Papi....Did you mean it? What you said? I--” He stopped, and Tully was about to answer when he continued. “What you called me. I-- I liked it. A lot, but if you didn't mean it I c-can't h-have you call me that again cuz--”

Now Tully did answer, interrupting him with a gentle finger to his lips. “Shh. Relax.” Because Juice had tensed up in his rush to get out what he'd said, because it was clearly painful to say. Tully waited, still petting and kissing until Juice did as he was told. “There you go.” It was now or never, and Tully somehow managed to keep his breath even. “I did mean it, baby boy. I love you so much, Juice.” He didn't speak loudly, but the way that Juice tensed again made it clear that he'd heard it. The shot-caller lowered his voice more, letting the bass rumble more than anything. “I got so scared seeing you in so much pain, beautiful, I didn't care who knew it, just that you did and I was still there for you. You just had to come back to me.” Now it was Tully's turn to stiffen. His heart was laid bare for Juice, out in the open and he couldn't take it back. It didn't occur to him until just now how very big of a risk _to himself_ this was. He'd looked at it from every angle but that one, and now he'd taken the leap. Showed himself, his real feelings to another person to do with as they pleased. It was too late now, if he misjudged.

Two beats, and in Tully's arms Juice started squirming. Tully loosened them, his heart starting to thud dangerously. What if the boy didn't actually return his feelings, that this was just a way to survive? Tully wasn't sure he could take that kind of heartbreak without getting destructive. Either toward the boy or himself. A hiss brought him out of his emotion-fueled thoughts. Juice was now facing him, and it meant laying right on his still-broken ribs. Tully made a movement; he wasn't sure if it was to get up or switch places or what, but Juice found his hands and gave them a squeeze. “H-hang on.” The boy breathed through the pain, and the older man found himself getting more worried. “Kay.” There was still a little light behind him and Tully could see Juice's gentle smile. Shy, maybe. “Tully.” His hands were squeezed again, and this time Tully returned the pressure. It was still strangely intimate to hold them; Tully much preferred cuddling and footsie to this. Or maybe he had to prefer it. “I love you too.” Juice swallowed, the sound loud between them. “I th-think I have for a long time.” The boy shifted, his breath hitching in pain. It might not have been a good idea and Tully was about to say so despite his desire to remain like this. Juice shook his head, reading Tully as he'd been read. “Y-you've rescued me, Papi. Protected me...from everything. Made me better. Saw you fight the pigs for me.” Juice barely inched forward, pressing his whole muscular body against Tully's lean one. “How could I not?”

Juice was so close. That urge was back, the one for Tully to plant a kiss on those perfect lips. This time he didn't hold himself back because to him it was clear that Juice wanted it too. He surged forward, closing the tiny gap between them.

His boy's lips were so soft, like he'd imagined. More than, even though Tully had never seen him do anything like chapstick. He tasted a little of toothpaste mint and a little of the chocolate bar they'd shared before bed. Something else, too and Tully couldn't help the light swipe of his tongue to along his lips to get more of that flavor that was uniquely Juice.

In response he felt Juice's tongue against his own, getting himself a taste of Tully. It wasn't shy or upset; Juice was the first one to deepen the kiss and Tully responded with an eagerness he hadn't felt about simply _kissing_ someone since he'd been a teenager. He was going to lose himself on those lips, dance his tongue against his beloved's. And what Tully wanted to do, Tully did. If heaven existed, this was it. Juice wasn't shirking either; he was just as needy for this as Tully. He pressed harder against the man to show, to let Tully know just how much he wanted more. But as he adjusted Juice let out an involuntary whimper and he broke the contact. They both panted for a moment, Juice's breath coming in hitches. “H-holy _shit._ ” And then Juice whined, full-on whined begging like Tully hadn't heard in weeks. “Please, Papi. Want more.” It went straight to his cock, of course.

He didn't even ask if Juice was certain. As his boy had moved before, Tully now took on the hard work. He supported that sore chest, and with a little bit of effort he pulled Juice up onto him enough that the boy didn't have to wiggle much to settle perfectly on top. Much better this way. Tully had his hands, so did Juice and they could explore each other in ways they hadn't before. Or maybe they had, but the emotions now made it different. Without missing a beat Tully brought his hands up to Juice's scalp, gently running his fingers along the soft skin there. Only for a moment though, because neither of them wanted to wait longer and Juice crashed hungrily onto his lips.

Tully didn't stop him, just brought his fingers down to cradle that strong jaw in them. Juice's own hands once more rose, slowly. He carded his own fingers through Tully's hair, and involuntarily Tully shivered beneath him. “Yeah...” Tully gently encouraged, or moaned; either description worked. Once more he swiped his tongue against Juice's lips and his boy parted them with a quiet sound of what Tully could only describe as glee. With that permission Tully found himself exploring Juice's mouth, his tongue gliding along soft gums and sharp teeth. The unique flavor that was Juice was of course stronger here and Tully couldn't get enough.

Neither, it seemed, could Juice get enough of him. He slipped his tongue alongside Tully's and the strange sensation of Juice being in his mouth followed. It was amazing even at the same time, so intimate, so right and Tully practically moaned into him. The boy softly huffed back, clearly amused in the best way. He carded his fingers through Tully's hair again, soothing touch on his scalp.

On their own Tully's hands moved from where they cupped Juice's face to stroke his bare head, and then they ran gently down the nape of his neck. Juice shuddered so beautifully against him that Tully just had to do it again for the same reaction. Now it was Juice that broke the kiss to moan in pleasure, and now they just laid for a moment to pant. Tully touched his boy while the spots cleared, and Juice nuzzled his face against Tully's neck. “L-love you.” He whispered into Tully's ear.

“Love you too.” His body tingled, but suddenly the tingling focused on the spot at his pulse point. Juice was kissing it, sucking gently while his hands explored the rest of Tully's throat. “Oh, baby.” Tully tilted his chin up, not sure if he cared if Juice left bruises. He was as much the boy's as the boy was his. Juice nipped lightly making him gasp, and he dragged his fingers down Juice's spine now, and then up. Tully wanted to feel bare skin; it felt like it had been forever since he had and so the second time he slid his fingers down, Tully caught the boy's top to pull it up.

Juice had continued to suck but now he broke it off, gasping with the ghost of Tully's touch. He shuddered again and his spine bowed into it. It couldn't have been comfortable but Juice didn't seem to care. “P-papi....” Tully captured Juice's lips to silence him, keep him from waking the rest of the wing up. But his hands touched again, this time feeling those amazing muscles. Tully broke the kiss, letting Juice feel the smile on his lips. “P-papi, feel.” His boy's grin was bigger than Tully's as he ground his hips against the older man. “Cuz you love me.”

It must have hurt, the movement, but neither of them seemed to care because in between them was Juice's cock, hard as a rock. Tully arched his own hips so he could grind back at the same time he pulled his lover into a fierce kiss. “I do love you, Juice. My baby boy.” Tully breathed into his mouth as he ground again, feeling Juice respond with his own gentle rocking. “So good, baby, my little love. Make yourself feel good, that's it sweet boy.” His hands dropped again, dancing along Juice's bare skin. His boy didn't slack; he went back to his work on Tully's throat with a fervor that Tully could only describe as _hunger._

Tully's hands finally squeezed Juice's ass right about the time Juice pulled back to nuzzle his bruising handwork. “Please.” Juice breathed into Tully's skin before he placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “Wan' you t' fuck me, Papi.” He rocked again for emphasis.

Tully's blood, already singing, turned to fire. Juice _wanted_ him. Wanted his cock, wanted still to be connected in the closest way they could. Heart _and_ body. Tully had no doubt that this would be transcendent. But as his body screamed to take, Tully's rational mind kicked in. Juice was still injured. Forget his mental health, he still had broken ribs and internal organ damage and internal damage of the other kind. “P-papi?”

There was the trembling, and not of the good kind. Tully quickly pulled Juice down to give him a fierce, needy kiss. He'd taken too long to respond. “Shh, my love. Shh.” Tully panted and his cock ached as he now wrapped his arms around Juice. “Shh. I want to, baby. I want to be inside of you so bad.” Clearly this was love. “But I don't want to hurt you.” Tully punctuated the statement with another kiss and a nuzzle on Juice's neck as Juice had been nuzzling him. A nip, to make his boy's breath hitch. “I want to fuck you into the bed without worrying I'm going to break you.” A tiny growl and Tully felt Juice's cock throb as his did.” An idea came to the shot-caller and Tully unwrapped one hand. First he squeezed that perfect ass, and then slowly he moved it to slide under the waistband of Juice's pants.” I promise I'll fuck you, baby. Give you what you deserve for being so good. So brave.” Now Tully snaked his hand between the two of them. It was tight, but Juice seemed to know what he was doing and rose his hips. “I love you, baby boy.” He finally gripped Juice's cock, and gave it a slow stroke. Already there was quite a bit of pre-cum there; Tully wasn’t sure when his boy had gotten that horny. “I”m gonna fuck you, no, make love to you when your body is ready. Like this, face to face.”

Juice shuddered hard and his breath was high and tight as Tully kept stroking. His hands moved to reciprocate but Tully nipped his earlobe. Juice put his hands back, holding around Tully's neck with hands clenched into fists. He was resting his head near Tully's ear too, panting into it though his ass remained up. “Good boy. My good, sweet, sexy love.” Tully kept encouraging, fingers finding the best spots on the velvet covered steel rod in his hand. “Gonna cum in my hand, baby boy?” Tully still had one arm wrapped around Juice, a good solid hug to keep the boy grounded and not too squirmy. Juice nodded, breathing hitching. “Not yet.”

There was no reason for the denial, but Juice simply melted against him, hips stilling for a moment from how they'd started to thrust a little into Tully's hand. “Papi...'M so close...” Juice mewled into his ear, and started to move again.

Tully didn't mind, his boy hadn't exactly gotten release in a while. He whispered again. “Thinkin' about my fingers in your ass, opening you up baby boy?” The shudder was perfect, so Tully kept going. “My cock inside of you?” He wanted to touch _himself_ with all the things he was saying, making himself imagine. But this was for Juice, and Tully could wait. “I want you, baby boy, because I love you so much.” He swiped a thumb over the tip, gathering the fluid there and making his boy writhe.

“Th-thinkin' of your ass in th' shower.” Juice finally brought himself back from the brink with a soft voice. “W-wanted t-to eat you out again. Right there. C'n paint m'f-face with your cum, Papi.”

Now it was Tully's turn to rope his arousal in. He bit the inside of his cheek as he started to stroke Juice hard enough, quick enough, that the boy moaned and _thank fuck_ he stopped talking about the things he'd wanted to do, wanted Tully to do. That filthy mind, that filthy mouth he loved though and some part of Tully made a note of what Juice wanted to do. “Yeah? Papi mi-might.” He smirked and the hand that wasn't occupied groped for Juice's chin, holding it firm and close to Tully's lips. “But first,” Tully could tell that his boy wasn't going to last long so he didn't torture him any longer, “Cum for me, my love. Cum, baby boy.” At the same time Tully rose his face to yet again kiss Juice, steal his breath away in the way his boy liked best.

Of course Juice dropped over the edge with the order, coating Tully's fingers as he squirmed and bucked in pleasure. Without breaking the kiss, or waiting for Juice to come all the way down Tully plunged that same hand into his own pants and with a few quick strokes he too was climaxing; there were star bursts behind his eyes with the lack of oxygen but it felt so good, more powerful than before. They were spinning together, just the pair of them. Tully holding onto Juice like it was his whole world and Juice doing the same thing. Maybe it was just them; nothing outside to contend with.

Tully broke the kiss, panting and Juice gasped for air. The star bursts faded into spots and the spots faded away; then they were back on planet Earth. “ _Holy shit.”_ Tully repeated what Juice had said before, wiping his hand on the bunk before he pulled the boy into a hug. “Get why you like that.”

Juice laughed a little, a small wince as he nuzzled Tully. “Yeah. I like you, Papi. Like, _like like._ ” Another small laugh with the humor of it. Tully liked the post-coital Juice. Had missed it, like he'd missed the rest of him. “Love you.” Juice took a slow deep breath clearly content to just lay here and drift off. “'S what I was gonna tell you before. Better now.”

The older man had to think back to what he was talking about. “Oh, yeah?” Now he remembered, and he had to chuckle. “I agree.” Tully gave him a nuzzle and a squeeze. “C'mon, beautiful. I'm not young enough to fall asleep in messy pants.” Juice made a mumbling argument but got up; he even seemed in less pain and more fluid in his movements. What Tully could see of them, anyway. He got quickly changed, and even convinced Juice to so he wasn't uncomfortable in the morning.

In payment, however, Juice insisted on curling up onto Tully's chest like he had before. “Papi?” It was half-asleep, now.

“Mm?”

“Love you.”

“Love you too. Go to sleep, baby.” Juice drifted off on Tully's chest, but the older man stayed awake a little bit longer. Tomorrow the routine would start again, but things would be different. Every touch, every possessive hold would have the undercurrent of love to them. Tully wondered, briefly, if it was going to be that obvious to the rest of the men. Probably, they were far more perceptive than people gave them credit for. If they didn't like it, they could deal with it. Tully was, after all, still the boss.

It turned out that the men didn't seem to care. Except Mickey. He woke them up the next morning with a growl. “If you two fuckin' queers want to fuckin' fuck, you better find a fuckin' better place or fuckin' use fuckin' gags. Jesus _fuck._ ”

Juice had the common decency to look completely mortified but Tully just smirked. He'd gotten laid, Mickey was just jealous. “'Certainly illustrates the diversity of the word.'” He quipped just as McManus was walking by to start the day. McManus gave him a dirty look, but Tully was in too good of a mood to care. He even let the slur against him and Juice go, and started to get ready for the day. He glanced at himself in the mirror; Juice had left a fairly substantial mark on his neck, right near the bolts. There were smaller ones, too, but they would fade within the day. That one was going to stick around a while, and Tully quite liked it.

“S-sorry we kept you up, Mickey.” Juice mumbled from his place next to the bed where he looked like he wanted to crawl back onto it to hide under the blankets from the other man's anger. The sight of him made Tully bite back the comment that they weren't sorry; instead he wandered shirtless back to his boy to pull him into a possessive, needy hug. He ignored Mickey's sound of annoyance to soothe his boy. Mickey's bark was generally louder than his bite but Juice, and himself if he was honest, were still a little emotionally vulnerable. Juice stiffened briefly, but then pressed into Tully without seeming to care who was watching.

“Yeah, right.” Mickey practically spat as he turned away in his cell. Tully let Juice go, knowing that honestly Mickey deserved a real apology. Later today. Now he was just crabby with the missed sleep and besides, Tully had to get ready for the day. The older man let Juice go, and finished what he started before Mickey got his panties in a twist.

After a moment Juice did too, apparently deciding not to skip breakfast like Tully was afraid he was going to. That deserved a reward, in a moment. “Breakfast is usually better'n lunch.” His sweet boy offered him a smile as he turned to let Tully look at him.

Of course Tully did, once he made sure the coast was clear. And he had to add something. Tully tilted his chin up to show off the hickey and wagged a finger teasingly at Juice. “I love you.” The shot-caller mouthed, and that blush not only went up Juice's neck but covered his chest as well. Juice mouthed the words back and they had to rush to finish getting ready. Tully, sadly, had to resist gripping a hold of his boy's hand choosing instead to follow him out like usual. No one made comment on the bruises on Tully's neck, or the way that the pair of them seemed to walk even closer than usual, but Tully knew they'd noticed. He wondered if Juice was going to get the shovel talk, and who was going to give it. He'd have to stop them, Juice would probably have another breakdown if they tried.

“So, boss,” Nuke said in between bites of french toast, “we were talking last night. Think with the new fish comin' we're gonna have to move the seatin' arrangements. Well, us. Not you, 'course.”

Tully rose an eyebrow, and looked at the table. Once again Tully spotted them all looking around at each other. The things they talked about when he wasn't around. He gestured, looking hard at Nuke. “And?”

“Well, uh. You an' Mickey stay where you are, and Jones move over some and Pit'll go in the new spot, and me 'n Froggy can move down a bit, and that should give us enough room for four new guys and I doubt there'll be that many.” Nuke shrugged, and stuffed another piece of french toast in his mouth, followed by a forkful of hash browns.

He'd said it so casually, but Tully straightened as he kept his stare on the other man. The change meant Juice was now sitting next to him instead of across, with his back to the wall instead of to the general cafeteria. It was coveted for that, but Juice being next to the shot-caller would infer _status_ on the young man. Make him _someone_ and not just a throwaway punk. Tully rose an eyebrow and looked over to Jones; that man was leaving shortly which was probably why he didn't seem to care that his spot was being given away. Or he'd been talked into it last night while he and Juice were having their date. He looked back to Nuke.

“N-nuke I c-c-can't just. I mean, I c-can't even be--” Juice's eyes were wide and he was sputtering not just in fear but in pure shock. “'S okay, 'm f-fine sitting here you should be th' one t' sit--”

“Anyone object?” Tully simply overrode him, and Juice went silent. He was still clearly surprised by their actions. A murmur from the rest of the table. They seemed to have had it all out the night before. “Alright then.” He smirked. “It sounds good, gentlemen. I don't feel like doing a chink fire drill right this second, so let's try this at lunch?” If they hated it, they could readjust for dinner. Tully took another bite and checked on his beloved.

Juice was a bit hunched over, looking like he was going to cry again. He did take a couple of deep breaths, though, seeming to feel Tully's eyes on him and he unfolded himself. “Thanks, guys.” Juice spoke very quietly, like he had last night. Tully smiled at it. “I-If you need anything. Let me know. I mean.” He started tripping over his words again as he fought with his emotions and Tully smiled even more. Couldn't help it, it was like his pure feelings for the boy would escape no matter what.

“Anything within the confines of our current predicament of being guests of Hotel Stockton, we know Pit.” Mickey brought them back down to earth. “Go get me a goddamn cup of coffee if you're done trying to make our boss grow ovaries and a pair of tits.”

Tully broke his stupid-happy grin to glare at Mickey, giving a little gesture to Juice to go ahead. “My tits are in storage. I was going to trade them to a bandmate but I got falsely accused of this terrible crime.” Juice was staring at him now. “Go on, boy.” He put on his order voice, just to see Juice blush. Once he was away, Tully looked to Mickey. “Thanks.”

Mickey waved it off. “You and your housewife just keep it better on the down low. And not just because I can't get any sleep.” Now his second smirked, but just enough that only Tully could see the amusement on his face. “Figured it was going to end this way, boss. You had it bad for him from the beginning.” Now Mickey was serious again. “Just be careful, Tully. He's a good man, but he's still a spic punk.”

Of course Juice showed up right then, and there was a flash of hurt on his face that disappeared in an instant. He set the coffee down in front of Mickey, along with three creamers and three sugars. “Yes, but he's _my_ spic punk.” Tully smiled up at Juice. “Even remembered you like a little coffee with your cream and sugar.”

Mickey huffed, grumbling his thanks as Juice sat down. Tully made sure he caught the pleased look in his eye; his boy hadn't even flinched when getting up to go get the coffee. Juice was going to be at his side for meals, which would certainly make them easier on everybody. He was still fighting, but accepted the help he needed not just from Tully but others. Tully _loved_ him and he loved Tully back; and they had plenty of time to explore that. The shot-caller had a plan for further prison business, and men were coming to reinforce their ranks against any and all intrusions. As much as there was a normal in Stockton, they were going to get back to it.

_Three weeks later_

“Did you guys see? Pit made it _twice_ around!” Nuke was overjoyed by Juice's progress on the track.

And Juice had the little smile that said he was genuinely proud of himself, which to Tully was far more important. Over the last few weeks his boy had finally let himself relax and heal more than he'd forced himself to act normally, and the effort he'd made showed at times like this when he did work hard. Tully, of course, regularly rewarded him for that; gentle back rubs in the shower, late night making out sessions, early morning handjobs. It was all the ways they both loved, and could do until Juice healed all the way. Even now, Tully briefly tangled his fingers in Juice's to squeeze them. Perhaps too demonstrative, but Tully didn't care. The old members were used to it by now and the new ones had been bluntly taught that Juice's place was at Tully's side no matter his skin color. One was still sporting the black eye that had earned Tully three days in the hole after he'd pinched Juice's ass. Though it could have gone worse; Juice stayed in the moment and quietly told the guy to keep his hands off. It was Tully who had taken greater offense and doled out the punishment.

Tully let go of Juice's hand so his love could go in first. “You got mail, Tully.” Juice vaguely gestured before he grabbed the Bronte book and practically collapsed on his bunk. He brought his knee up to rub it before he set it back down, flicking through the pages. The young man had managed to make it through the first third of the computer book and its practice test, so Juice was giving himself time off before working on the second part.

Tully smiled as he picked up the envelope. Juice treating himself nicely; it was amazing to watch. His lover deserved it, and tonight Tully was going to reinforce that. He was so distracted staring at his boy that Tully didn't actually look down at the envelope until it was in his hand. He'd half taken out the letter, written on yellow legal pad, before he did.

Colorado. It was from Florence, Colorado. Only one person sent him mail from there. _His_ boss, in the super maximum facility there. And he rarely did so, due to the fact it went under extra scrutiny. Only in the most extreme circumstances, really. Otherwise he trusted Tully to run the west coast Brotherhood as he saw fit. “Shit.” Tully's heart jumped, and not in a good way.

“What? Hey!” Juice briefly lowered the poetry book but Tully crossed the cell and snatched it out of his hands. “What's wrong?”

It was rare Tully actually ignored him but he did so this time. The shot-caller sat down and pulled the letter all the way out. It was coded, except for the page number of the poem that would decode the letter. Simple, but effective. If the code was broken, just change books. They did anyway regularly, just in case. Tully felt Juice looking at him, but his boy said nothing. He knew better.

The letter was short, and it didn't take Tully long to decode it. As he did so, his heart hammered harder and harder, and fell slowly into the pit of his stomach. This was a goddamn nightmare come to life; he couldn't believe it was happening.

_Tully:_

_You're distracted. Get rid of it, or retire. You've been loyal, so we'll let you choose your successor and leave you to enjoy your golden years. I don't think that's what you really want, though. I'll give you a few weeks to decide._

_1488_

The shot-caller sat back, staring at the missive. The first question that came to mind was who had snitched to the higher-ups? He needed to be taught a lesson, obviously, about minding his own fucking business. The second, of course, wondering was what was he going to do. “Tully?” Juice startled him, and he turned to look at his boy. He was sitting up now, watching him. There was a small line in between his eyebrows, concerned. “What's up?”

Tully couldn't tell him. He just couldn't. He turned the letter over. “Nothing, beautiful.”

Juice looked at him, and Tully could see the disbelief in his eyes for one long moment. “Okay.” Juice sat back, leaning on the wall. He patted the seat beside him. “Read t'me? Need a nap.” Juice needed more than that, Tully could tell. Needed Tully's closeness, needed to cuddle until they were both de-stressed. Tully picked up the book, and settled next to this man he loved so much. But he loved his place here, too. It was all he had, really, aside from Juice. He took a long slow breath as Juice leaned on his side like he always did. Completely trusting of the man. “Th'nk you. Love you.”

This was going to be a mess.

 


End file.
